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Limerick ham with cider glaze

Name: Limerick ham with cider glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 2500 g unsmoked gammon joint (pork); 1000 ml dry cider; 1 onion; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 20 cloves; 80 g dark brown sugar; 2 tbsp English mustard; 2 tbsp honey

Christmas gammon simmered, then glazed with mustard and brown sugar

Features:

High protein Dairy free Make ahead

Cuisine:

Irish

Limerick was once famous across Europe for its hams, cured in the city's bacon factories, and a glazed ham is still the centrepiece of the Irish Christmas table next to the turkey. This is a gammon joint, which is pork: simmered gently in cider with an onion and spices, then studded with cloves and glazed in a hot oven until sticky and dark. Serve hot with mash and parsley sauce, or cold for St Stephen's Day sandwiches. The cider contains alcohol, which mostly cooks off; for an alcohol-free version use cloudy apple juice. Chef's tip: score the fat in a neat diamond pattern only through the fat, not the meat, so the glaze grips without the meat drying.

Total time: 200 min
Difficulty: medium
Serves: 10

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Ingredients

Serves10

5 ½ lb unsmoked gammon joint (pork)
4 ¼ cups dry cideror cloudy apple juice
1 onionhalved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
20 cloves
2 ⅞ oz dark brown sugar
2 tbsp English mustard
2 tbsp honey

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What you'll need

Kitchen thermometer

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (1)

onion

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: Soak the 5 ½ lb unsmoked gammon joint (pork) in cold water overnight in the fridge if your butcher says it is salty, then drain.
5 min
Step 2: Put it in a large pot with the 4 ¼ cups dry cider, 1 onion, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp black peppercorns and top up with water to cover. Bring slowly to a simmer and cook very gently, allowing 20 minutes per 500 g, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
100 min
Step 3: Lift out the ham and let it cool for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Cut off the rind, leaving a 5 mm layer of fat, and score the fat in diamonds.
20 min
Step 4: Push a 20 cloves into the centre of each diamond. Mix the 2 ⅞ oz dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp English mustard and 2 tbsp honey with 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and brush half over the fat.
5 min
Step 5: Roast for 30–40 minutes, brushing with the rest of the glaze twice, until dark, sticky and bubbling. The thickest part should read at least 145°F on a thermometer. A common mistake is a higher oven, which burns the sugar before the ham is hot.
35 min
Step 6: Rest for 20 minutes before carving thinly. Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours.
20 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 430 kcal
Protein: 40 g
Carbs: 14 g
Fat: 22 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does limerick ham with cider glaze take?: About 200 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 10 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.
Can I make it ahead?: Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of onion?: 2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of bay leaves?: Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).

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