30 mins to 1 hour
over 2 hours
Serves 8-10
A favourite for Christmas, a baked ham is an easy way to feed a crowd. Many hams don’t need soaking these days, so ask your butcher if you’re not sure.
- 5½ -7¼kg/12-16lb ham with the bone in
- 2 onions, quartered
- few cloves
- few black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 tbsp English mustard
- 75g/2½oz demerara sugar, depending on size of ham
- 300ml/½pint chicken stock (to make a gravy)
- Place the soaked ham in a large pan, with the onions, cloves, peppercorns and bay leaf.
- Cover with water, bring to the boil and skim away any impurities.
- Leave the ham to simmer, allowing 20 minutes per 450g(1lb).
- Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Once cooked, remove the ham from the pan and stand for 10-15 minutes before peeling away the skin.
- The fat can be left as it is or scored, creating a diamond pattern.
- Brush the ham with mustard and sprinkle well with the demerara sugar.
- Bake the ham for 30-40 minutes taking care to baste the ham with juices and the caramelised sugar.
- Once golden, remove from the oven and rest for 15-30 minutes before carving, or leave until cold.
- To make gravy, pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan to lift any residue in the pan and simmer until reduced by one-third to one-half and strain.
The ham may need to be soaked in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water occasionally
