Honey Glazed Ham

We are a land of pork and honey here in Daylesford, with some of the best pig growers and beekeepers in the nation right here on our doorstep. We love the honey from Des O’Toole in the heart of town and John Cable out near Glenlyon and use their honey to make this delicious honey glazed ham with one of Daylesford Meat Co.’s free-range hams.

Ingredients

1.6kg ham
1.5 cups light brown sugar
125ml red gum or box honey
Large sprig rosemary
Large sprig thyme
Whole cloves

Method

Set the oven rack to the lower part of the oven so the ham will fit in a large roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 160°C fan.

Remove ham from wrapping, rinse, cover with foil and bake for 1.5 hours.

Make the glaze by placing the sugar, honey, and herbs in a small, heavy-based saucepan and place over medium heat, covered to dissolve the sugar and absorb flavour from the herbs for 10-15 minutes. Stir frequently.

Remove the ham from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. With a sharp knife, cut the skin on the side of the leg and around the bone joint. Peel away the skin to reveal the fat. Cut across the fat to create diamond-shaped cross-hatching. This allows the fat to render and take the glaze down into the meat. Place a whole clove on each corner of the diamonds for decoration. Remove the herbs from the glaze and brush the three-quarters of the glaze over the ham. Return the ham to the oven and bake for a further 25 minutes. Remove, brush, over the remaining glaze and roast for a further 15-20 minutes. Remove and rest for 20 minutes to 2 hours. Carve and serve with mustard, gravy and even some cranberry jelly.