Ingredients
Serves 6-8
- 3kg Quality assured gammon (off the bone and skin on)
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
For the glaze
- 200ml Irish whiskey
- 200ml maple syrup
- 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp ground allspice
Method
- Weigh the gammon joint and calculate the cooking time, allowing 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes – a 3kg gammon should take about 3 hours.
- Place in a large saucepan along with the celery, onions, thyme & peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum. Once boiled, reduce the heat and simmer until completely tender, occasionally skimming off any scum that rises to the top.
- Drain and leave until its cool enough to handle. This can be cooked a day in advance and placed in the fridge overnight.
For the glaze
Place the whiskey in a pot with the maple syrup, redcurrant jelly, balsamic vinegar, and ground allspice. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a jar until required. This can be made a week in advance.
To glaze the gammon
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2). Carefully peel away the skin, leaving the layer of white fat intact. Using a sharp knife, score the fat diagonally to make a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat and stud with whole cloves.
- Place the prepared cooked ham in a large roasting tin, lined with parchment paper. Brush a layer of the syrup all over the ham, reserving the remainder.
- Cook for 1-1½ hours, brushing over another layer of the glaze every 15 minutes, until all the glaze is gone. Remove the cooked ham from the oven, transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for 15 minutes before carving
