Honey-Glazed Ham

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in smoked ham, about 4–5 kg
• 180 ml runny honey, plus extra for drizzling
• 60 ml Dijon mustard
• 50 g dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
• 10 whole cloves, for studding

Steps

1. 1

   1. Remove the ham from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place the ham in a deep roasting tin, add a splash of water to the base, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 2 hours.

2. 2

   2. Meanwhile, combine the honey, mustard, brown sugar, cider vinegar, ground cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

3. 3

   3. Remove the ham from the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C (200°C fan). Carefully peel away the skin, leaving the fat layer intact, then score the fat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife and stud each diamond intersection with a whole clove.

4. 4

   4. Brush half the glaze generously over the scored surface, return the ham to the oven uncovered, and roast for 15 minutes until the glaze begins to caramelize.

5. 5

   5. Brush with the remaining glaze and roast for a further 10–15 minutes until the surface is deep amber and lacquered. Rest for 20 minutes before carving.

6. 6

   6. Carve one end into thin slices, fan them against the roast on the plate, then drizzle warm honey over the top just before serving.