“Christmas isn’t Christmas without a beautiful ham on the table, and this recipe is one of my favourites. It looks beautiful, smells incredible (thanks to the sticky apricot glaze), and comes together easily. I love that it keeps on giving, too. In my house, we enjoy salads, sandwiches, frittatas and more for days after the main event, all with ham as the hero.”
- Tamara
Learn to make the perfect festive ham in a few simple steps.
Step 1 of 4
Get Prepped
Start by preheating your oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a large roasting pan with baking paper and place your ham in the pan. Using a small sharp knife, cut around the ham rind, about 10cm from the shank (bone) end. Starting at the opposite end to your shank, run your thumb firmly under the rind to separate it from the fat. Peel back the rind, and discard. (You can peel the rind off ahead of time, to save time on the day of cooking. Save the removed rind and use it to cover the ham until ready to bring out of the fridge to cook.)
Step 2 of 4
Keep score
This recipe works perfectly if you choose to score or not. If you do, it’s really easy and looks impressive. Using a small sharp knife, gently cut the fat lengthways in diagonal lines at 1cm intervals, ensuring not to cut all the way into the meat. Repeat in the opposite direction and you’ve got a lovely diamond-scored ham.
Step 3 of 4
Prepare to be aglazed
Stir 500g of apricot jam and two tablespoons of boiling water in a small bowl until smooth and combined. Using a pastry brush, cover ham with one-third of the glaze. Apricot jam works a treat here, but you could also try spicy relish or a simple mixture of mustard mixed with honey.
Step 4 of 4
Get cooking
Bake the ham for one hour, basting every 15 minutes with the remaining glaze, until your ham is golden. If it starts to burn or colour too much, cover the ham loosely with foil to protect it. Transfer to a platter and rest for 30 minutes. Wrap shank in muslin for a pretty and rustic look, and decorate with bay leaves.