How To Make Glazed Ham With Black Treacle & Christmas spice

  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Difficulty medium
  • Serves 8
glazed ham with black treacle & christmas spice cooked

Ingredients

  • for glazed ham with black treacle & christmas spice
  • 2.5kg unsmoked gammon joint
  • 300ml black treacle
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tsp ground mace
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 10 cloves
  • 10 juniper berries
  • For The Glaze
  • 150ml black treacle
  • 4 tbsp whiskey
  • 2 tbsp mustard powder
  • Vegetable oil to grease
  • for honey glazed ham with citrus fruit & christmas spice
  • 2.5kg unsmoked gammon joint
  • Peel of 1 orange
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 10 cloves
  • 10 juniper berries
  • for the glaze
  • 150ml heather honey
  • 4 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 3 tbsp English mustard
  • Whole cloves to stud
  • Vegetable oil to grease

JEFF’S TOP TIPS

  1. Once the ham has cooled sufficiently you will be able to prize the skin away using your fingers, then trim up any difficult bits with a knife.
  2. Place the ham, fat-side up in a roasting tin.
  3. To make a criss-cross/diamond pattern in the ham, use a sharp knife to lightly score it, only cutting into the fat and not the meat underneath.
  4. Liberally cover the ham with your glaze.
  5. If studding the ham, use the pointed end of whole cloves & pierce into each point of diamond pattern.
  6. Remember the ham is already cooked so all you are trying to do is caramelise the glaze.
  7. Pour a small amount of water into the pan to stop the bottom of the ham burning.
  8. Keep a close eye on the ham as glazes are sweet they can burn easily.
  9. Baste the ham again towards the end of the cooking.
  10. The glazed ham will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Method

  1. Soak the gammon in cold water for a couple of hours pre cooking.
  2. To cook, use a pan that can hold the joint comfortably.
  3. Dissolve 300ml of the black treacle with 700 ml freshly boiled water and stir.
  4. Pour the treacle mix over the gammon with the bay and spices then top up with water to cover, bring to a very gentle simmer and cook for around 2½-3 hours, until the middle of the ham reaches 65°C when tested with a digital thermometer & the meat is easy to pierce.
  5. Leave to cool in the broth until you can handle it, or leave to cool completely.

TO GLAZE

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan assisted (gas mark 6).
  2. Using a sharp knife cut the skin off the ham, leaving as much fat as possible then score the fat into a diamond pattern.
  3. Insert the cloves on the cross point where the fat is scored.
  4. Mix the remaining 150ml treacle with the whiskey and mustard powder, then brush generously over the fat.
  5. Transfer the ham to a roasting tin double-lined with lightly oiled foil, then roast for about 30 minutes, basting with the glaze in the tin once or twice.
  6. When the ham is glossy and sticky, remove from the oven & leave to cool for an hour or so.
  7. When cool enough to handle slice into 5mm slices cutting against the grain of the meat.

Tip: (mix the glaze ingredients together in the treacle tin)

Serve with a rich cauliflower cheese for a wonderful seasonal treat or as part of a Christmas buffet.

As a great alternative, why not try glazing your ham with Honey, Citrus Fruits and Christmas Spice?

HOW TO MAKE HONEY GLAZED HAM WITH CITRUS FRUIT & CHRISTMAS SPICE

Method

  1. Soak the gammon in cold water for a couple of hours pre cooking.
  2. To cook, use a pan that can hold the joint comfortably.
  3. Cover the gammon with cold water, add the bay, orange and spices, bring to a very gentle simmer and cook for around 2½-3 hours until the middle of the ham reaches 65°C when tested with a digital thermometer & the meat is easy to pierce.
  4. Leave to cool in the broth until you can handle it, or leave to cool completely.
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan assisted (gas 6).
  2. Using a sharp knife cut the skin off the ham, leaving as much fat as possible then score the fat into a diamond pattern.
  3. Insert the cloves on the cross point where the fat is scored.
  4. Mix the remaining glaze ingredients together 1then brush generously over the fat.

To glaze

  1. Transfer the ham to a roasting tin double-lined with lightly oiled foil, then roast for about 30 minutes, basting with the glaze in the tin once or twice.
  2. When the ham is glossy and sticky, remove from the oven & leave to cool for a hour or so.
  3. When cool enough to handle slice into 5mm slices cutting against the grain of the meat.

Serve with a cheesy potato gratin for a wonderful seasonal treat or as part of a Christmas buffet.