Puckett’s Pickles Carrot and Cardamom Glazed Ham

Main courseServes 6

For a pre-festive get together or one to add to the list for the Christmas period, why not give this succulent and aromatic ham a whirl and give your traditional ham a twist with the spicy addition of North Yorkshire based Pucketts Pickles Carrot and Cardamom chutney. (If your ham is mild-cure gammon it probably won’t need soaking, but if you know that you're dealing with a salty piece, then put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to the boil, then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here.)

Ingredients

2 kilograms mild-cure gammon joint

1 onion (peeled and cut in half)

2 bay leaves (fresh or dried)

2 generous dollops of Spiced Apple Chutney

1 litre of Yorkshire Cider (enough to cover)

Puckett’s Pickles Carrot & Cardamom Chutney

Method

  1. Put the gammon in a pan, skin-side down, add the onion; bay leaves; apple chutney and then pour over the Yorkshire cider to cover.
  2. Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer and put the lid on, though not tightly. Cook for just under 2½ hours. (If your joint is larger or smaller or has just come out of the fridge, work out timings accordingly, remembering that it's going to get a quick blast in the oven later.)
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 9/450ºF.
  4. When the ham's had its time take it out of the pan and let cool a little for ease of handling. Remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat and score with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes and then spread over the Carrot & Cardamom Chutney.
  5. Cook in a foil-lined roasting tin for approximately 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.
Should you want to do the braising stage a day or two in advance and then let the ham cool, cover well and refrigerate. Remove the ham from the fridge 30mins ahead of time to warm a little, glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 180°C/gas mark 4/350ºF, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.