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.

Roasting the ham/gammon is a simple way of cooking it that doesn’t involve boiling. The apricot preserves and apple juice create the best ham 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!

Ingredients needed 

• Ham/Gammon. I use boneless smoked ham or gammon. The boneless ham cooks faster and is much easier to carve. If you have a bone-in ham, use my cherry glazed ham recipe as a guide for cooking.
• Carrots. 
• Apples. I use Granny Smith apples.
• Onion.
• Fresh garlic cloves.
• Apple juice. 
• Chicken stock.
• Apricot preserves. Apricot jam.
• White wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar will all work. You just want some acidity to cut through all the sweetness.
• Brown sugar. Honey or maple syrup can be substituted.
• Salt.

How to make glazed ham

1. Cook the ham: Place the ham in a roasting pan or deep baking dish then add the apple, onion, garlic, apple juice and stock or water. Cover with foil and allow to roast until cooked. (Cooking times are discussed below.) Remove the ham from the oven and turn the heat up. Reserve 1 cup of ham stock then discard the remaining liquid and aromatics. Remove the skin from the ham with a sharp knife, taking care not to remove too much of the fat. Score a diamond pattern into the fat. At this point you can also stick whole cloves into the ham if you prefer. Place ham on a wire rack set inside the roasting pan and set aside while you make the glaze.
2. Make the glaze: Combine a few tablespoons of dark brown sugar, apricot preserves, apple juice and some of the stock from the roasted ham/gammon in a saucepan set over medium heat with salt and vinegar and simmer until the mixture is syrupy and reduced, approximately 10 minutes. A note on spices: I like the simple flavors of the apple and apricot glaze with the ham but you could add spices like cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves or nutmeg to the glaze.
3. Glaze the ham: Pour the glaze over the roasted ham/gammon and brush into all the nooks and crannies to make sure the ham is coated in the glaze. Place back in the oven and roast for another 20-30 minutes until the glaze is caramelized and sticky. Remove the ham from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before carving and serving.

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 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. This apple glaze is delicious but if you want something slightly more traditional, my orange brown sugar glaze ham recipe is also fantastic. The glaze is made with fresh orange juice (pineapple juice can also be used), brown sugar and aromatics.

Can I make this ahead?

Ham is a great main dish to make ahead. Cook the ham fully then remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature then cover well and place in the refrigerator overnight. 2 hours before serving, remove the ham from the fridge then continue with the glazing step. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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:

Glazed ham is a staple for any festive table and we love it at Christmas served with crispy potatoes, bread stuffing, dinner rolls and Garlic Parmesan brussels sprouts. However, it’s also a delicious meal served at room temperature with salads.

1. Roast potatoes with herbed salt
2. Creamy condensed milk potato salad
3. Easy side salad with lemon dressing
4. Easy creamy curried macaroni salad

What to do with leftover ham

1. Ham and pea pasta bake
2. Leftover Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich
3. Zucchini feta crustless quiche