Spiced Winter Ham

Directions

• Remove the packaging from the gammon joint, but leave the string on if it’s tied up – it’ll stop the joint from falling apart as it cooks. Place it in a large pot which has plenty of room around it and is taller than the joint.
• Add all of the ingredients to the pan. The onion can simply be cut into quarters, skin on and the garlic cloves crushed with the back of a knife – again, skin on.
• Pour all the wine over and then cover with water so it just covers the joint. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for around 2 to 2.5 hours with a lid on (basically, 30 mins for every 500g plus around 15 minutes to finish).
• Once cooked, remove the gammon from the liquor and set it aside – this will make amazing stock for a pea and ham soup (recipe on here).
• Remove any packaging, and remove most of the fat with a knife to leave a very thin layer. Slice the bottom if needs be, so the gammon will stand up and score the thin fat layer with a sharp knife in a criss cross motion. Leave to cool while you prep the glaze.
• Glaze
• Pre-heat the oven to 200° C.
• Place a sheet of tinfoil or non stick base on a baking tray (the glaze will turn to hard caramel, and so this will be hard to remove from anything you wish to reuse) and place the gammon on it.
• In a small saucepan add the redcurrant jelly, red wine vinegar or port, paprika and cinnamon and heat until the jelly melts and forms a thick, sticky glaze.
• Pour the glaze over the gammon ensuring it’s completely covered. Scoop it from the bottom with a spoon if needs be and put it on the sides and top.
• Place in the centre of the oven for around 15 – 20 minutes until the glaze has caramelised.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before slicing and serving.