Honey roast ham with Cumberland sauce

Name: Honey roast ham with Cumberland sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 20 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 kg large unsmoked gammon joint; 1 carrot, halved; 1 onion, quartered; 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks; 1 bay leaf; 4 sprig/s thyme; 1 tsp black peppercorns; Whole cloves, to decorate (optional)

A large glazed ham need not be confined to Christmas dinner – this will feed a gathering generously, with enough left for sandwiches the next day.

4 out of 5 stars(1) Rate this recipe

Serves8
CourseMain meal
Prepare30 mins
Cook2 hrs 20 mins
Total time2 hrs 50 mins
Plusresting and cooling

Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.

Ingredients

2kg large unsmoked gammon joint
1 carrot, halved
1 onion, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
4 sprig/s thyme
1 tsp black peppercorns
Whole cloves, to decorate (optional)

For the honey glaze

50ml clear honey
50g demerara sugar
25ml Madeira (optional)
1½ tbsp soy sauce
1½ tbsp English mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the Cumberland sauce

3 cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tbsp port
5 tbsp redcurrant jelly
150g cranberries, fresh or frozen
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 large orange, scrubbed, zest, juice of ½
1 lemon, scrubbed, zest
1 ball stem ginger, chopped

Method

Put the gammon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, skimming away any froth. Add the vegetables and bring back to the boil, then add the bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, topping up with boiling water as necessary to keep the meat covered. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the liquid for 30 minutes.
Make the honey glaze and Cumberland sauce while you wait. For the glaze, put the honey and sugar into a small pan, then bring to the boil over a gentle heat. When the mixture starts to foam, remove from the heat and add the Madeira, if using. Leave to cool slightly, then stir in the soy sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
For the sauce, put all the ingredients except the citrus zests and stem ginger into a pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes until syrupy. Remove from the heat and stir in the zests and ginger. Transfer to a serving bowl and leave to cool.
Lift the ham out of the cooking liquid (this can be used as stock for soup) and into a baking parchment-lined roasting tin, just large enough to accommodate it. Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas mark 3.
Cut the skin away from the meat and discard, leaving an even layer of fat. Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife, then stud with the cloves in a diamond pattern (if using). Brush the glaze over the ham, then bake for 35-45 minutes, basting frequently with more glaze, until sticky, browned and cooked through with juices that run clear.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Serve hot, or allow to cool. Cut into slices and serve with the sauce.