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Glazed Christmas ham
Aussie leg of pork ham with an orange, honey and clove glaze
A whole glazed leg ham is the centrepiece of the Australian Christmas table, served cold with salads and mustard on a hot December day and eaten in sandwiches for a week after Boxing Day. It is a cured, smoked leg of pork, already cooked, that is scored, studded with cloves and baked with a sticky orange and honey glaze. A common mistake is cutting the rind off too roughly; ease it away with your fingers so the fat stays smooth. Chef's tip: store the leftover ham in a cotton ham bag soaked in water and vinegar in the fridge to keep it moist.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 15 ⅜ lb cooked smoked leg ham, bone in
- 40 whole cloves
- 1 orangezest and juice
- ½ cup honey
- 2 ⅞ oz brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp ground ginger
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Run a small knife around the shank in a zigzag, then ease the rind off the 15 ⅜ lb cooked smoked leg ham, bone in with your fingers, leaving the layer of fat intact.
15 minStep 2: Score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1 cm deep, without cutting into the meat, and push a 40 whole cloves into each diamond.
10 minStep 3: Simmer the zest and juice of the 1 orange, ½ cup honey, 2 ⅞ oz brown sugar, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard and ½ tsp ground ginger for 5 minutes until syrupy.
5 minStep 4: Set the ham in a roasting tin lined with baking paper and pour a little water in the base. Brush with glaze and bake for about 1½ hours, brushing every 20 minutes, until glossy and caramelised and the centre reaches at least 145°F. Cover the shank with foil if it browns too fast.
90 minStep 5: Rest for 30 minutes before carving, or cool and refrigerate within 2 hours to serve cold.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does glazed Christmas ham take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of whole cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
- What can I use instead of orange?
- Mandarins or clementines, same weight.
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