Ginger-Glazed Ham
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA CHRISTMASIntroduction
This gammon is simply simmered in ginger ale and, although you need to strip off the rind to glaze it, the glaze is straightforward. And it is a very efficient way of cooking — depending on how many you have in your household to feed, you should be able to eke this out for several meals.
It won’t give that same crowning effect, but if you cannot get hold of ginger preserve, you could use ordinary orange marmalade and add a teaspoon of ground dried ginger or, indeed, grated fresh, as you heat it up.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This gammon is simply simmered in ginger ale and, although you need to strip off the rind to glaze it, the glaze is straightforward. And it is a very efficient way of cooking — depending on how many you have in your household to feed, you should be able to eke this out for several meals.
It won’t give that same crowning effect, but if you cannot get hold of ginger preserve, you could use ordinary orange marmalade and add a teaspoon of ground dried ginger or, indeed, grated fresh, as you heat it up.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 10
- 1 x 5½ kilograms mild-cure boneless gammon joint
- 6 litres dry ginger ale
- 350 grams chunky ginger preserve (or orange marmalade)
- 2 tablespoons hot English mustard (from a jar)
- 100 grams soft dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 12½ pounds cured but uncooked ham
- 6 litres dry ginger ale
- 1 cup chunky ginger preserve (or orange marmalade)
- 2 tablespoons hot English mustard (from a jar)
- ½ cup soft dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Method
- Place the joint in a large pan over the hob and pour the dry ginger ale over it, topping up with water so the ham is just about covered with liquid.
- Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to keep the joint bubbling gently for 3½ hours.
- Towards the end of cooking, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF and start on the glaze.
- Put the chunky ginger preserve (or marmalade) into a small bowl, and spoon in the hot English mustard. Add the soft, dark brown sugar, sprinkle in the ground cloves and stir to mix.
- After the ham has had its 3½ hours (and check that it’s ready by inserting a meat thermometer (it should read 71°C/160ºF), gently lift it out of the pan — no mean feat — and place in a foil-lined roasting tin. Carefully cut away the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. There is no need to score the surface, simply slap on the glaze and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a carving board where it can be admired before being carved as thinly as possible; I try to get someone else to do this.
- Place the joint in a large pan over the hob and pour the dry ginger ale over it, topping up with water so the ham is just about covered with liquid.
- Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to keep the joint bubbling gently for 3½ hours.
- Towards the end of cooking, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF and start on the glaze.
- Put the chunky ginger preserve (or marmalade) into a small bowl, and spoon in the hot English mustard. Add the soft, dark brown sugar, sprinkle in the ground cloves and stir to mix.
- After the ham has had its 3½ hours (and check that it’s ready by inserting a meat thermometer (it should read 71°C/160ºF), gently lift it out of the pan — no mean feat — and place in a foil-lined roasting tin. Carefully cut away the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. There is no need to score the surface, simply slap on the glaze and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a carving board where it can be admired before being carved as thinly as possible; I try to get someone else to do this.
Additional Information
For gluten free replace the English mustard with a gluten free mustard, such as Dijon.
MAKE AHEAD:
About 6 hours before serving, cook the ham for 3 hours only, take the pan off the heat, remove the rind and return the ham to the hot liquid. Set aside in a cool place for about 3 hours. One hour before serving, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF. Put the ham in a shallow, foil-lined roasting tin, cover with a tent of foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then glaze and return to the oven for 20–30 minutes or until golden and burnished.
FREEZE AHEAD:
Any leftover ham can be thinly sliced, wrapped in a double layer of foil, or put into a sealable bag, and kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For gluten free replace the English mustard with a gluten free mustard, such as Dijon.
MAKE AHEAD:
About 6 hours before serving, cook the ham for 3 hours only, take the pan off the heat, remove the rind and return the ham to the hot liquid. Set aside in a cool place for about 3 hours. One hour before serving, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF. Put the ham in a shallow, foil-lined roasting tin, cover with a tent of foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then glaze and return to the oven for 20–30 minutes or until golden and burnished.
FREEZE AHEAD:
Any leftover ham can be thinly sliced, wrapped in a double layer of foil, or put into a sealable bag, and kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Show more commentsGreat recipe- made at Christmas and making again today for Easter- Yum yum can’t wait to tuck in!
This was amazing! I made it for Esster and could only find spiral cut ham (which seems like a crazy travesty to me), but it was delicious nevertheless. Best glaze ever!!
This the only way I cook ham now, everybody loves it! And I've been spreading the love, since all my friends now have the recipe!!
Love this recipe, a must for every Christmas. The Christmas book is my favourite, use it every year.
Love the recipe AND the glaze! This is my yearly Easter recipe use this every year for our ham. TY Nigella! :)
I made this ginger ham for Thanksgiving years ago. All our friends look forward to ginger ham each Holiday season now. It is amazingly, delicious and always a big hit for Christmas. Love it!
My ham was already cooked however I did use the ginger ale to eh eat it through for an hour or so then glazed. I loved the ginger flavours.
Christmas is not the same without Ginger Glazed Ham. My family and guest LOVE it and always look for it on the buffet table on Christmas Eve onwards.
Cannot wait to try this, have always done nigella' s ham in coca cola, swear by it, ginger ale will be completely different #nigella x
You are my new favourite person Nigella. This recipe is inexpensive to make and delicious. x
This glaze is so delicious! I used orange marmalade and added ginger to it. The ham was already cooked, so I just heated the glaze and poured it on the ham. I also made the spiced peaches. This is such a wonderful combination for Christmas Eve! Thanks Nigella.
This is our Christmas dinner main course every year. Everyone always raves about it. It is ease itself to make and tastes like a dream. Be sure to make up a second batch of the glaze, people always want more to dip in!