Christmas ham

[Decorhate]

I’m not a huge fan of pork/ham but I thought I’d do a ham this year as well as turkey for the carnivores in the family. In the shops in the UK I’m seeing lots of gammon joints. Is that what I need or is it something else? Thanks!

Yes, that's what you need. You can bake or boil it, but it's nice finished in the oven (strip skin off, score the fat and rub honey or brown sugar in which then caramelises. Yum!)

Thanks! Yes that’s how I’m planning to cook it. Have also seen a recipe suggesting using chilli jam to glaze.

I have heard this tip from a good cook I know. Leave this meat fully covered in cold water and soak over night. Throw out this water the next morning.
Put more cold water on this meat, bring this to the boil and then remove this water.
Put more cold water in with this meat and cook it in this.

The reason for soaking it and throwing off the 1st amount of water used in the cooking is to remove salt from the meat. Doing this will leave the meat tasting nice and not being overly salty.

Another question - can you do this in two parts, eg poach in water or other liquid the day before & then glaze and bake the next day?

Yes, it is best to glaze cold meat anyway so the glaze doesn't run straight off, continue to baste as it re-heats, scoop the glaze up from the bottom. Also, put the ham on parchment paper to make cleaning up easier. You probably know to remove the skin after poaching, leaving a little fat which you can score and stud with cloves too.

Another way to glaze is honey, mustard, a little soy sauce mixed together.

Go raibh sonas ort an Nollaig seo!

Thank you!

I should have said

Go railhead míle maith agat!

raibh

Autocorrect does not understand Irish!