Apricot apple glazed ham

This glorious glazed ham with sticky apricot apple glaze is the kind of festive recipe dreams are made of. Simple, juicy ham the whole family will love.

If you are the kind of person who doesn’t love ham or gammon, be ready to have your mind changed. I never like gammon when I was younger. It was always dry and it had a weird jellied exterior. But then I started making my own gammon, glazing it with this apple apricot glaze and I am now a complete convert. If you buy your gammons ready-cooked every year, I would love for you to try this homemade ham this year. I know it’s more effort and it might take some time but believe me, no ready-cooked gammon can ever, and I mean ever, come close to this apple apricot glazed ham.

I know that traditionally ham is boiled and this is to rid it of it’s saltiness but I am terribly lazy and I decided to roast my ham with aromatics like carrots, onions, apple slices and some apple juice for just over an hour and then covered it in the delicious glaze. If you wish, you can boil your gammon for the same amount of time with the same aromatics,but I find it’s much easier to over cook the ham this way.

The apricot preserves and apple juice create the most delicious sweet and sticky glaze which compliments the salty, smoky ham just perfectly. Serve this as part of your Christmas feast and I promise you, your family will sing your praises. And maybe even make an extra one because glazed ham leftovers are a thing of beauty!

 

How long do you cook a glazed ham?

When roasting at 160ºC/320ºF, you need to roast the ham approximately 20 minutes per 500g/1lb. So a 2kg/4lb smoked ham/gammon will need around 1 hour 20 minutes. Thereafter you remove the skin and score the fat, glaze and roast for another 30 minutes at around 200ºc/390ºF until sticky and caramelized.

How do you make a glaze for baked ham?

Combine dark brown sugar, apricot preserves, apple juice and some of the stock from the roasted ham/gammon in a saucepan with salt and vinegar and simmer until syrupy and reduced. Pour the glaze over the roasted ham/gammon and roast for another 30 minutes until the glaze is caramelized and sticky.

How do you glaze a precooked ham?

Simply bring the cooked ham to room temperature. Cut off the skin and score the fat in a diamond pattern then pour over the glaze and roast for 30 minutes until the glaze is caramelized.

How do you serve a fully cooked ham?

Allow the glazed, cooked ham to cool for 10-20 minutes after coming out of the oven then slice and serve with side dishes.

What to serve with glazed ham:

1. Crispy salt and pepper smashed potatoes
2. Easy garlic butter dinner rolls
3. Roast potatoes with herbed salt
4. Creamy condensed milk potato salad
5. Easy side salad with lemon dressing
6. Easy creamy curried macaroni salad

What to do with leftover ham

1. Ham and pea pasta bake
2. Leftover ham eggs benedict 
3. Pea & Ham Frittata