Ingredients
A customer told us they glaze their ham with our jam. They were right, so here is the recipe.
We did not invent this one. A customer mentioned in passing that they use our lychee jam to glaze their Christmas ham, we tried it, and it is now how we do ours. The jam needs loosening with mustard and vinegar so it brushes rather than sits in lumps, and it goes on late so the sugar lacquers instead of burning.
Method
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Take the ham out of the fridge an hour before you start. Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan).
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Run a knife around the shank about 10 cm from the end, then slide your fingers under the rind and peel it back in one piece. Work slowly and it comes away cleanly, leaving the fat behind.
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Score the fat in a diamond pattern, cutting about 5 mm deep. Do not cut into the meat — the fat is what holds the glaze and cutting through it lets the juices out.
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Warm the jam, mustard, vinegar and water in a small pan over low heat until smooth and pourable, about 2 minutes. Push it through a sieve if you want a perfectly even glaze.
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Sit the ham in a lined roasting tin with the water or apple juice in the base — that stops the drips scorching and keeps the oven from smoking.
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Brush a third of the glaze over the whole surface, stud a clove into each diamond if you like, and bake 30 minutes.
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Brush again and bake 20 minutes. Brush a third time and bake a final 20–25 minutes, until deep amber and bubbling. Watch it closely at this stage.
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Rest 20 minutes before carving. The glaze sets as it cools, which is what gives you that lacquered finish.
Tips
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Cover the shank end with foil if it starts to darken faster than the rest.
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Any glaze left over, warmed with a spoonful of the pan juices, is the sauce.
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Store the ham in a damp calico bag or a clean pillowcase rinsed in water with a splash of vinegar, changed every couple of days.