Glaze your gammon joint with fruit, bay leaves, allspice and cloves then slow-roast and serve in thick slices
Prep:10 mins
Serves 15 – 20
4-5kg raw smoked ham on the bone (ask your butcher if your ham needs to be soaked before cooking- some are pre-soaked to save you time)2l bottle ginger beer2 bay leaves6 whole allspice berries6 black peppercorns30-40 whole cloves1 tsp ground ginger340g jar apricot jam
STEP 1If your ham needs soaking, do this the day before cooking. Put it in a large pan (a preserving pan is great for this). Cover the ham with cold water and leave to soak in the fridge for 24 hrs, changing the water twice.STEP 2Pour away the soaking water and rinse the pan. Return the ham to the pan and add the ginger beer, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns and 6 of the cloves. Top up the liquid with enough water to cover the ham. If the bone sticks out of the liquid, don’t worry – just rotate the ham halfway through cooking. Put over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid or a piece of foil. Leave to cook for 2½ hrs, topping up with water as it cooks.STEP 3Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. When the ham is cool enough to handle, discard the cooking liquid and pat the ham dry. Use a small, sharp knife to pare the rind away from the ham, leaving a layer of fat attached to the meat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud all over with the remaining cloves. Put the ham in a roasting tin. Mix together the ginger and jam and brush the mixture over the ham. Roast for 1 hr until golden and glistening. Serve hot or cold.
