Glazed gammon with parsley & cider sauce

Glazed gammon with parsley & cider sauce

When you want to do something different for Christmas, this glazed ham makes a wonderful alternative to turkey

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 12 - 16

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 6 hrs 30 mins

including 5 hours poaching and roasting

Method

  1. Instead of soaking the ham overnight to get rid of excess salt, follow my short-cut method.Weigh the joint and calculate the poaching time, allowing 25 minutes for every 450g/1lb, and put the joint in a very large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then drain off all the water.
  2. Pour 600ml/1 pint of the cider into the pan and then pour in enough cold water to cover the joint. Add the onions, carrots, bay leaves, parsley stalks, cloves and peppercorns. Bring slowly to the boil, turn down the heat, then cover and simmer very gently for the calculated time. Allow the joint to cool in the stock (overnight is ideal).
  3. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/ fan 160C. Lift the joint out of the stock, then strain the stock and measure 500ml/18fl oz. Strip the rind off the joint and score the fat in a diamond pattern. Put the joint in a heavy roasting tin (if it's wibblywobbly, prop it up with a wad of scrunched-up foil), pour over the remaining cider and braise in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently until beginning to brown. If the pan becomes dry, splash in some cider or water to cover the bottom of the tin.
  4. Meanwhile, start the sauce. Put the milk, parsley stalks and bay leaves into a saucepan, bring to the boil and leave to infuse for as long as you have.
  5. Remove the joint from the oven and raise the temperature to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Put the orange halves around the joint. Melt the marmalade, brush it generously all over the gammon and oranges, then return to the oven for 10 minutes to glaze. Lift the gammon and oranges on to a serving dish, cover and keep warm while you finish the sauce.
  6. Sprinkle the flour into the roasting tin and scrape and stir around to mix with the juices. Place on the hob and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, to cook out the flour.Gradually pour in the measured stock and whisk well. Now add the strained infused milk and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan, stir in the chopped parsley leaves and cream, then heat through gently and check the seasoning. Pour into a warm jug and serve with the joint.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo steve@arth46

    08 December 2007

    steve@arth46 commented on this recipe

    Just added some garlic with the carrots etc and Honey instead of marmalade. I did such a good job and it tasted great its for lunch tomorrow and on my xmas day meats menu. Keep up the great work on the website. Steve

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  • Binder photo Wellsa's

    10 December 2007

    Wellsa's rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    fantastic , so straightforward and the taste to die for!!

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  • Binder photo maziminor

    31 December 2007

    maziminor commented on this recipe

    Try added sticking some cloves to the out side of the meat for a better tast

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  • Binder photo paza_2000

    24 December 2008

    paza_2000 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Tried it last Christmas with the inlaws and it went down like a treat! On the menu again this year.

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  • Binder photo Jaco45er

    15 January 2009

    Jaco45er rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I done this for New Years day. Leftover meat was sliced, frozen and used for kids pack lunches. Even now the kids are asking when will I be doing that lovely sauce and meat we had New Years Day. Fantastic, if it was on Ebay it would have been an A+++

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  • Binder photo claire

    20 October 2009

    claire commented on this recipe

    I've done this many times now after borrowing the recipe from my brother-in-law. It's so simple to prepare the night before then a quick roast in the oven and...voila! Delicious melt in the mouth meat.... I have sometimes omitted to do the sauce and served with cumberland sauce but the parsley sauce is out of this world and well worth the extra effort.

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  • Binder photo mr_peeks

    31 October 2009

    mr_peeks rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    We've made this in our house for Christmas and for Easter and everyone loves it. The parsley and cider sauce is delicious and the orange hint to the gammon is perfect. I'd recommend this for Christmas or other special occasion rather than a regular Sunday lunch as it can take quite a while to prepare, but it's definately worth it!

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  • Binder photo SqClair

    14 August 2010

    SqClair rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is a fab recipe and I echo everyone's views on here: it takes a while to do but it is well worth the effort. I have made it with honey and omitted the cloves for a lighter, more summery taste - even served it once as a cold joint for carving at a BBQ and it went down a treat.

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  • Binder photo Jane

    01 November 2010

    Jane rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Cedders

    10 February 2011

    Cedders rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i enjoyed this so much. thank you. The caramalised oranges were the stars of the performance. EXCELLENT.

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  • Binder photo Jane

    31 December 2011

    Jane rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for friends on the 28th Dec. Certainly worth the effort, the sauce is delicious and makes the dish. Will make this again,

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  • Binder photo tracy

    08 April 2012

    tracy commented on this recipe

    I did this beautiful ham for a a family dinner and it was wonderfully moist and tender, with a fantastic flavour. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipy. It was fab cold too.

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  • Binder photo Jjclarke

    03 June 2012

    Jjclarke rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Time consuming but worth it.....very tasty but maybe for when you've got a bit of time on your hands!!

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  • Binder photo Martha

    22 June 2012

    Martha rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    very lengthy process but it went down a treat! definitely one for a special occassion.

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  • Binder photo Kittyschmeeer

    19 December 2012

    Kittyschmeeer commented on this recipe

    This was one of the most pleasing and delicious dishes I have ever made. My friends were very impressed. It takes a whole but is simple and not fiddly so as long as you leave enough time your on to a winner. Loving the good food site :)

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  • Binder photo Marion

    26 January 2013

    Marion commented on this recipe

    I cooked this at Christmas and loved it so cooked it again as main course for a dinner party for 6 people last night. I reiterate other comments, sauce is wonderful! I have already shared the recipe. One query though, I didnt use anything like 500mls of stock + 500mls infused milk though I did use the 50g flour. I'd say I used quarter the amount of stock and quarter the amount of infused milk and the sauce was perfect. The total amount would have made the sauce much to runny I believe.

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  • Binder photo Eatingfortwo

    26 January 2013

    Eatingfortwo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Takes ages but is really easy and spectacularly good

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 12 - 16

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 6 hrs 30 mins

including 5 hours poaching and roasting

Ingredients

  • 4½kg joint middle-cut gammon or lightly smoked bacon
  • 900ml/1½ pints dry cider
  • 2 onions , quartered
  • 2 large carrots , halved
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • a handful of parsley stalks
  • 6 cloves
  • 8 peppercorns
  • 2 oranges , halved, to garnish
  • 8 tbsp fine-cut whisky marmalade

FOR THE PARSLEY AND CIDER SAUCE

  • 500ml milk
  • 100g fresh parsley , stalks reserved and leaves chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 50g plain flour
  • 100ml/3½ fl oz double cream
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