PHOTOGRAPHY by CON POULOS STYLING by MICHELE CRANSTON PHOTOCHEF: DIXIE ELLIOTT
In this glazed ham recipe, the glaze itself can be made a week in advance and store in the fridge. If the glaze becomes too thick to brush on, reheat until it reaches the correct consistency. First time glazing a Christmas ham? Watch this step-by-step instructional video.
How to store ham
To ensure any uneaten glazed ham is safe to consume as leftovers, don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours before refrigerating.
The biggest challenge with storing ham is keeping the meat from drying out. For this reason, it’s important to only carve as much ham as you need during your meal. Meat left on the bone will stay juicy for longer than carved slices.
To store ham on the bone, it needs to be wrapped in a clean tea towel, pillowcase, large piece of calico fabric, or a purpose-made ham bag. Rinse your cloth of choice in a solution of 2 cups white vinegar and 2 litres water, wring out tightly. Wrap the whole ham in the fabric and store in the fridge. Change to a clean cloth every few days.
If there’s no room in the fridge for a whole ham leg, you can remove the meat from the bone in large chunks and store, wrapped in plastic and then foil, in the fridge.
Ingredients
Method
Combine sugar, maple, apple juice, vinegar, paprika, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and mustard in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until reduced and thickened. Cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a large wire rack over a roasting pan lined with foil or baking paper.
Score through the ham rind about 15cm from the shank end of the leg.
To remove the rind, run your thumb around the edge of the rind just under the skin. Start pulling the rind from the widest edge of the ham; continue to pull the rind carefully away from the fat up to the score line. Remove the rind completely. (Reserved rind can be used to cover the cut surface of the ham to keep it moist during storage.)
Using a sharp knife, score across fat at 1cm intervals, cutting just through surface of the top fat. Do not cut too deeply or the fat will spread apart during cooking.
Place the ham on the rack in the pan; pour 1½ cups water into the dish. Cover shank end with foil. Brush ham liberally with some of the glaze.
Bake ham for 1 hour 20 minutes or until browned all over, brushing every 20 minutes with the glaze during cooking, and adding extra water to pan if needed.
Make the glaze a week in advance and store in the fridge. If the glaze becomes too thick to brush on, reheat until it reaches the correct consistency. For a smaller leg or half leg of ham, halve the glaze recipe.
For a smaller leg or half leg of ham, halve the glaze recipe.
Test Kitchen tip
How to glaze a ham: step-by-step guide
Freezing ham
Ham wrapped in plastic and foil and then frozen will last in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge for 1-2 days (depending on size) before eating.
Dice offcuts of ham and freeze in small containers or zip-lock bags to use in fried rice, pasta or omelettes.
