How to Glaze and Carve a Christmas Ham

There is nothing quite like a glazed leg ham on the Christmas table. The good news is that most of the work has already been done for you. A Christmas leg ham is cured and cooked before you buy it, so you are warming it through and giving it a sticky, golden glaze.

Removing the Rind

1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line a roasting tin with baking paper, as the glaze will catch.
2. Run a small knife around the shank end, in a zigzag or a neat circle, to leave a collar of rind for holding.
3. Slide your fingers between the rind and the fat and gently ease the rind off in one piece. Leave the layer of fat on the ham, as that is what the glaze sticks to.

Keep the rind. It covers the cut face of the ham when you store it.

Scoring

Score the fat in a diamond pattern, about 2 to 3cm apart, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Push a clove into the centre of each diamond if you like.

The Glaze

A simple glaze that always works: warm together 1 cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of orange juice, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and a little honey until the sugar dissolves.

Other favourites:

• Maple syrup, wholegrain mustard and a pinch of ground cloves.
• Marmalade, orange juice and a splash of whisky.
• Pineapple juice, brown sugar and ginger.

Glazing and Baking

Brush half the glaze over the ham. Bake it for 45 minutes to 1 hour, brushing on more glaze every 15 minutes, until the surface is golden, sticky and caramelised. Watch it closely towards the end, as sugar burns quickly. If parts of it are browning too fast, cover them with a little foil.

Carving

1. Rest the ham for 15 minutes. It can be served warm or at room temperature.
2. Stand the ham on a board with a damp cloth underneath so it does not slide. Hold the shank with a cloth.
3. Cut a wedge out near the shank end, cutting down to the bone.
4. Then slice thinly from that point, working away from the shank, cutting down to the bone each time.
5. Run the knife along the bone to release the slices.
6. When one side is done, turn the ham over and carve the other side the same way.

Keeping It Fresh

Take the ham out of its plastic as soon as you get it home. Soak a ham bag, or a clean cotton pillowcase, in water with a splash of vinegar, about 2 tablespoons to 1 litre. Wring it out, put the ham inside and keep it in the coldest part of the fridge, at 5°C or below. Rinse and re-soak the bag every few days. Kept this way, a leg ham is good for about two weeks. If it smells off or feels slimy, throw it out.

Leftover Ham Ideas

• Pea and ham soup: simmer the bone with split peas, onion, carrot and celery for a couple of hours.
• Ham and cheese toasties: with mustard and a good sharp cheddar.
• Ham and leek pie: in a creamy sauce under puff pastry.
• Fried rice: diced ham, egg, peas and spring onion.
• Carbonara: ham in place of bacon.
• Frittata: ham, potato, herbs and whatever cheese is left from Christmas.

Sliced ham can be frozen in portions for 1 to 2 months, though the texture softens a little. Use it in cooked dishes rather than sandwiches.

Order for Christmas on our Christmas page. The free Roast and Christmas Guide has the whole Christmas lunch in one place.