A 2kg (4.4 lb) gammon joint braised low in apple juice before it ever sees a glaze. You start covered at 160C (320F) with cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme in the tray alongside onion and apple wedges. Forty-five minutes to an hour. Then you rest it.
Skin off, fat scored into diamonds, a clove pushed into every crossing. It looks right. The glaze is four teaspoons of apple syrup, mustard, brown sugar, and a hit of cider vinegar, warmed until it loosens up. Two coats over thirty minutes, and the fat turns sticky and dark.
This is a proper British Easter ham. Eight servings, maybe more if you carve thin. Cold the next day, it might be even better. 
How to Make Apple Glazed Ham
Removing the Skin and Scoring
After the braise, let the gammon rest for a full 30 minutes before you touch it. Hot fat tears. Warm fat cooperates.
Slide a knife under the skin at one corner and pull it back in sheets. Leave as much fat on the meat as you can. A thick, even layer is what you want here.
Score the fat in diagonal lines about 2cm (3/4 in) apart, cutting roughly 5mm (1/4 in) deep. Then cross them in the opposite direction to get clean diamonds. Push a whole clove into the center of each one, pointed end first so it stays put.
Building the Glaze
Combine 4 teaspoons of apple syrup, 2 teaspoons of mustard, 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar in a small saucepan. Warm it over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. You want it thin enough to brush but not watery.
Brush the first coat over every surface of scored fat. Get it into the diamond cuts. Set the ham back in the oven at 160C (320F) uncovered.
At the 15 minute mark, pull it out and brush on a second coat. This one matters more than the first. It builds the color and the tack. Another 15 minutes finishes it.
Resting and Carving
Ten minutes out of the oven before you cut. No tent of foil, just let it sit. The glaze firms up and stops running.
Carve against the grain in thin, even slices. A long, sharp knife works better than a serrated one. Go slow. The cloves pop out as you cut, which is fine.
Save the braising liquid from the first stage. Strain it, reduce it by half, and you have a sauce without any extra work.
Apple Glazed Ham
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Preparing this glazed ham is actually very easy. Imagine how much you can save by cooking your own ham if you have a large family to feed.
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4.4 lb) gammon
- a lot of cloves
for the cooking tray
- 1 teaspoon of cinamon (or 1 stick)
- 10 peppercorns
- half an apple cut into small wedges
- 2 bay leaves
- a small sprig of thyme
- 1 small onion
for the glaze
- 4 teaspoons of apple syrup
- 2 teaspoons of mustard
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar
Instructions
- preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) / Gas Mark 3
- Cook the gammon by filling half a roasting tray with apple juice or water, add the mix of spices and finally the ham.
- Cover with tinfoil and leave to cook for about 45-60 minutes.
- Prepare the glaze by adding all the ingredients to a small pan and warm it through.
- When ready, take the ham out of the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes, covered.
- After the ham has rested and cooled, take of the skin but leaving a generous amount of fat on the meat.
- Score the meat with a sharp knife and stick a clove in each crossing.
- Now you can start brushing the glaze onto the meat.
- Brush on one generous coating and put the ham in the oven for 30 minutes. Add another coating of glaze after 15 minutes.
- Ones removed from the oven, leave to rest in the baking tin for 10 minutes while you set the table.
Notes
We ate this ham with roasted potatoes and a fresh salad.
The leftover ham is great in pasta dishes or in a sandwich, the options are endless.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with an American ham instead of British gammon?
You can, but the result will be different. Gammon is a cured but uncooked cut, so it braises from raw and absorbs all that apple and spice flavor as it cooks. A pre-cooked American ham just needs heating through, so skip the braise, score it, and go straight to glazing at 200C (400F) for about 30 minutes.
How do I store leftover glazed ham, and how long does it keep?
Wrap it tightly in foil or cling film and refrigerate within two hours. It keeps well for 4 to 5 days. Slice it cold for sandwiches, cube it into a potato soup, or crisp thin slices in a hot pan for breakfast. Cold ham from the fridge, straight up, is honestly hard to beat.
What if I can’t find apple syrup for the glaze?
Reduce 240 ml (1 cup) of the braising apple juice in a small saucepan until it thickens to about 60 ml (1/4 cup). That gets you close. Maple syrup also works if you want a darker, more caramelized finish, though the flavor shifts away from the apple theme. Honey is too floral here; skip it.
