Is it really worth doing a christmas HAM?

[joymaker]

I have never got round to making one for christmas, even though I love ham. On top of all the turkey meat stuffings and pate that tend to be around is it really worth making the effort? Am I missing out?

If so kindly divulge your favourite (uncomplicated) tasty recepe

Thanks

recipe

I've done one the last few years. I buy just a little bit of smoked gammon joint type of thing and then boil it with white wine and water, some bay, peppercorns and a bit of offcuts of veg. Then cut off the rind and roast, basting for last half hour with honey and mustard. If you like ham its a really lovely treat and lovely with all the left overs on Boxing Day!

Ooh half, that sounds delicious and not too arduous

Ooh definitely worth it on Boxing Day. I also poach it - in a mix of cider and water with same additions as halftermhurray. I don't roast it, it's still delish.

Definitely worth doing. It's the only part of Christmas that DH specifically asks for - he would be happy with a sandwich for Christmas lunch as long as he had a ham.

BBCGoodfood.com is usually good for recipes but I generally boil it, add a glaze and then roast.

Isn't there a famous Mumsnet recipe where you cook a ham in Coke? Or am I making that up?!

Oh yes. Roast, salad, sandwiches, with egg and chips. But mainly in my tum!

Poach in Coca Cola for X hours, add glaze and blast in hot oven if you can be arsed. Eat with turkey in sandwiches.

We do ours in time for Christmas Eve supper (but buy a large enough joint for a week's worth few days of leftovers. Soak for an hour or two to get rid of the excess salt, then score the skin (diamond shapes), dot with cloves and then smother in a mix of treacle, juice of two squeezed oranges and some freshly ground pepper. Bung in the oven until roasted and leave to cool.

We have it on Christmas Eve and do a big 'spread' then all the left overs keep us going for days, joined by the left over turkey.

We have it on new years day, just have turkey for xmas day.

Here:- (I did the cherry coke one at the bottom last year and it was lush and no bother to do)

Ham in Coca Cola

2kg mild cure gammon
2 litres Coca Cola (the proper stuff, not diet) save 2 tablespoons
1 onion, peeled and halved
100g breadcrumbs
100g dark muscavado sugar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Put the ham and onion in appropriate size pan, add the coke (less the 2 tblsp) boil, then simmer for about 2 1/2 hours

Near end of this time, put oven on at gas 7/210 C

Keep the cooking liquid* but transfer ham to roasting dish

Remove skin, leaving thin layer of fat

Mix breadcrumbs, sugar and mustards slowly with the 2 spoonfuls of coke to form a thick paste.

Spread on ham and cook in the oven for 10 - 15 mins, or until crust is just set

*use remaining cooking liquid as a base for black bean soup

Ham in Cherry Cola

2kg mild cure gammon
6 cans cherry Coke
1 onion
16 whole cloves
3-4 tablespoons cherry jam
1 teaspoon pimenton dulce or smoked paprika
1/2 tea spoon red wine vinegar

Method as above* - then stud the ham with the cloves, put the jam, paprika and vinegar into a pan and bring to boil, stirring throughout. When thick and syrupy, pour over ham and bake for about 15 mins

*the remaining cooking liquid is too sweet for soup (says Nigella) but great for cooking red cabbage in

Definitely. We do ours Boxing Day, and almost prefer it than Christmas dinner! Great to have leftovers. If the water isn't too salty after boiling, keep it for stock as it makes a great soup base e.g. lentil and bacon soup.

Definitely! I also prefer it to the Christmas dinner. Ham, beetroot, pickles, cheese and biscuits yum!

How long does the ham keep for? I guess you could freeze any left overs?

Watching this thread to save the recipe - love the idea of doing this on Christmas Eve as a tradition.

um. i buy a gammon joint from sainsburys. its muscovado glazed with oranges and costs £10. i roast it and it feeds loads on boxing day. its that simple, put it in the oven and let it cook.

You can freeze gammon/ham sliced in gravy for another time. We enjoy our 'leftovers' with mashed potato and veg sometime in January! Our cooking liquid is Guinness.

Mmmm thank you all so much for your replies defo going to do one this year now

Turkey is so boring it's good to have some ham to go with it.

I'll do mine in the slow cooker. Just chuck it in with a good glug of cider.
5 hours later, delicious.

Yep - every year, there would be mutiny if there was no ham with the turkey. Usually do it with whiskey, mustard and brown sugar glaze but am going to try it in coke this year.

I always do one specially for "leftovers". Having said that, we have it hot on Christmas eve with mash and parsley sauce.

My birthday is day after boxing day so we tend to have friend's round and have it with leftover turkey, pickles etc.

Well worth it.

I do mine in either coke or apple juice before roasting in oven with a glaze. It's all I can do to stop myself scoffing the lot when its cooked we have it for christmas day and boxing day buffet,then rest of week if anything left.

I love our Boxing Day Ham! I par-boil it in cherry coke for half the cooking time and then roast in oven with golden syrup and whole grain mustard spread on top. Very easy. Boxing Day is always cold ham, cold turkey and salad stuff (with trifle). I would MISS my ham so much.

Poach in gingerbeer and glaze with ginger preserve, it's so Christmassy!