Ham cooked in Cola

[Shelleymoon]

I am toying with the idea of cooking our Christmas ham in Coca Cola this year but I'm a bit hesitant. Is it nice?
I imagine it to be sticky and sweet, although that does sound good, I don't want to ruin the ham. I
Do anyone have experience of cooking ham in Cola ?

@Fifthtimelucky

I'm with you, OP. Everyone seems to rave about ham cooked in coke, but I am put off from trying it on the grounds that I hate the taste of coke!

Can anyone assure me that but doesn't actually taste at all like coke?

It tastes like coke.

We use Fanta and do an orange ham. It’s so good.

My mum boils ham in full fat coke and then finishes it off in the oven with a sticky honey glaze. I absolutely love it, especially when it's still warm. I moved out 10 years ago and every year my mum cooks me a ham for over the Christmas period. Does the same for my nana as well.

Thanks @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

I will continue to avoid it!

I was hesitant too, but I cooked it for the first time 5 years ago and it's been my favourite way to cook ham ever since.

I don't think it tastes of coke!
I do the nigella one and think it tastes kind of smokey and sweet. Lovely!

I don't think it tastes of coke either, agree it's kind of sweet and smokey.

Was disappointed to be honest prefer to cook in apple juice

Does anyone use treacle for a glaze? I’m sure I read you could use it instead of honey (not something I keep in because I’m a bit weird and don’t really like it)

I hated it and actually had to remove the outer edge of the ham and I am a big cola fan usually

My son is a big coca cola addict. His dad is a far better meat cook than me, as I am veggie, and he does ham in cola. But apparently my roast gammon was better (boiled then roasted with maple syrup instead of honey and wholegrain mustard). I used some BBC recipe. I think whatever it is, if you boil it first to get salt out then roast in something slightly sweet and tangy it will taste good.

I love it and don't think it tastes of coke at all and I make it every year, however I am contemplating doing the ham in cider this year use because it then gives the best soup stock. You can't reuse the coke liquor for anything...

Yes! Which reminds must get coke tomorrow! Don't normally get full sugar coke but do for this recipe.

@RemorselessNorsemen

Does anyone use treacle for a glaze? I’m sure I read you could use it instead of honey (not something I keep in because I’m a bit weird and don’t really like it)

I use black treacle and mustard

I'm thinking of trying it now! I usually cook one on Christmas Eve. Normally I simmer in fresh water then do a whole grain mustard, honey and brown sugar glaze. Would that be too sweet? And @ohidoliketobe re the soaking - have you ever soaked all the salt out by mistake? I'd like it a bit less salty but am scared to leech too much out!

I don’t think it tastes of coke! The ham is just incredibly tender and moist and the glaze (treacle, mustard & sugar) is amazing.

It’s great hot on the first day and then the cold leftovers are fantastic with chips or in sandwiches.

@Freddiesgirl

Yes. I will live and die by Nigellas Ham In Coke. Not sweet, incredible and so easy. You will not look back!

Came to say this.

I like it with Dr Pepper.

I like it with Dr Pepper too. Someone I got chatting to in the supermarket said to try it with Fentimans dandelion and burdock. Anyone here tried that? I'm considering going off piste this year and having a go but I don't want to spoil the ham that everyone looks forward to so much!

We went for it!
The ham is currently in the oven with a glaze on it.
We followed the BBC Good Food recipe with a maple and mustard glaze. I won't taste it until tomorrow as not too keen on warm ham. Much prefer it cold but looks (and smells) amazing.

Merry Christmas everyone

@GoGoGretaDoll, please can you give me a soup recipe for your leftover apple/ cider cooking liquor?

I'm not a soup-maker, but would love to do something with the leftover stock after cooking my ham. It was 500ml cider, about 1 litre of cloudy apple juice, bay leaves, onion studded with a couple of cloves and a huge gammon joint, simmered for a few hours.

[quote sleighbelleuk]@GoGoGretaDoll, please can you give me a soup recipe for your leftover apple/ cider cooking liquor?

I'm not a soup-maker, but would love to do something with the leftover stock after cooking my ham. It was 500ml cider, about 1 litre of cloudy apple juice, bay leaves, onion studded with a couple of cloves and a huge gammon joint, simmered for a few hours.[/quote]
That will give you quite a lot of stock and it's fairly salty too, so I'd strain it then bag it up in 300ml or so bags and freeze it.

Then just use it as a stock. I use it a lot with a veggie soup but I don't have a recipe for one of those - it's just sweated off onions, little bit of garlic and whatever's wilting at the bottom of the fridge. Because the stock is so strong, it will make the contents of the veg drawer taste amazing without you having to faff around adding things in.

It's also great if you have leftover ham or chicken but not a lot of it - if you shred the meat and add to a simple veggie soup like the above you'll sort of believe you've had a lot more meat than you did! I think it would also be nice in those one-pot meal soups when you add rice or pasta to bulk it out.

I slow cook my ham without any liquid. I like my ham to taste of ham, not anything else.

@Hmmmwhatnametochoose

I slow cook my ham without any liquid. I like my ham to taste of ham, not anything else.

Me too!!