How To Glaze Ham

The secret of a great glazed ham starts in cooking the joint in a great stock. Follow this step by step guide to achieve succulent ham with a delicious, crunchy and sweet crust. 

Most people don’t take the chance to bake and glaze a ham at home. That’s because they’re often put off by the process and would prefer to buy one from the supermarket. But once you’ve made one at home for yourself and tasted how delicious it is, you’ll never want to eat supermarket bought again. Here’s our guide on how to bake the perfect glazed ham for any occasion.

Place the gammon joint in a saucepan with a choice of vegetables such as carrots, leeks, onions and herbs of your choice. Add one Knorr Chicken Stock Pot to maximize the flavour. Totally immerse the gammon in water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 3 hours (for a large sized joint). Keep skimming the froth off the top with a slotted spoon to remove any impurities. Constantly top up with boiling water to ensure the meat remains covered at all times. For maximum flavour, leave the joint to cool in the stock overnight.

Preheat the oven to 160°C, 140°C fan, Gas Mark 3 and roast the joint. Cooking times may vary according to the kind of joint you buy, and its size.

While the ham is cooking, prepare the glaze. You can choose from an almost infinite variety of glaze creations, the cooking technique is very similar for all of them.

Here are some good ideas for easy, tasty glazes:

• Dijon mustard, brown sugar & honey
• Orange (or any other citrus juice), soy sauce & brown sugar
• Pineapple juice & ginger
• Dijon mustard & maple syrup
• Lemon juice, brown sugar, dry ginger, pear or peach syrup, dry mustard

When you’re making the glaze don't leave the saucepan unattended. It will burn in seconds due to the high sugar content.

Keep taking on and off the heat accordingly.

Remove the ham from the oven 30-45 minutes before it’s completely cooked and remove the skin leaving a layer of fat behind. By doing this, the glaze will penetrate the fat, and flavour the meat. Make diagonal cuts 2.5 cm apart in opposite directions to form diamond shapes, and stud each diamond point with a clove.

Apply the first layer of glaze to the ham using a pastry brush. Roast for 15 minutes, then apply another layer of glaze. Repeat this a few times during the last 45 minutes of the cooking process so that the meat is beautifully glazed and rich golden brown.

Now you’re ready to take it to the table and impress.