Spiced Holiday Ham Food

SPICED HOLIDAY HAM

Steps:

• Score ham; insert cloves in cuts. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 20 minutes per pound. Combine jelly, sugar, vinegar, mustard and cinnamon; brush half over ham. Bake 15 minutes. Brush remaining jelly mixture over ham. Bake for 15 minutes, basting occasionally, or until a thermometer reads 140°.

AROMATIC SPICED HAM

Steps:

• Place the gammon in a large saucepan. Add all the ingredients for the ham to the pan, adding more water if the ham isn't covered. Bring to the boil, before reducing the heat to a simmer and partially covering the pan. Cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, approximately 1 hour a kilo simmering time, plus an extra 15 minutes.
• When you are ready to glaze the ham, preheat oven to 440 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Remove the ham from the liquid and sit the ham on a board. Strip off the rind, and a little of the fat layer if it's very thick, and cut a diamond pattern into the remaining fat with a sharp knife in lines of about 3/4-inch apart. Stud each diamond with a clove. Put the jelly, cinnamon, paprika and red wine vinegar into a saucepan and whisk together over a high heat bringing it to the boil. Let the pan bubble away so that the glaze reduces to a syrup-like consistency.
• Place a layer of foil over a roasting tray big enough to hold the ham. Place the ham on top of the foil. Pour the glaze over the clove-studded ham and then transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the glazed fat is burnished. Allow the meat to rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before carving it.

RITA'S SWEET HOLIDAY BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar and honey. Stir in the juice from the maraschino cherries, and half of the cherries. Score the outer edge of the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4 inch deep. This will allow the ham to soak up the juice.
• Place the ham into an oven bag, and carefully pour the juice mixture over it, keeping all of the juice in the bag. It may look like there is too much juice, but the ham will soak it up while baking. Place the pineapples onto the top of the ham, and secure with toothpicks. Place cherries into the centers of the rings, and secure with toothpicks also. Tie the end of the bag closed with the ties provided, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the top of the oven bag.
• Bake the ham for 2 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees F (80 degrees C) when done. Be sure not to touch the bone when taking the temperature. Remove ham from bag to a serving plate, and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

CELEBRATION SPICED BAKED HAM WITH ORANGE AND MARMALADE GLAZE

Steps:

• If the ham or gammon needs soaking, place in cold, clean water and soak overnight or for up to 24 hours.
• Boiling the Ham:.
• Place ham joint in a roomy saucepan - there should be plenty of space to add the liquids plus the vegetables and spices.
• Stick the cloves into the onion halves - 5 cloves in each half.
• Pour in the cider if using and top up with water - the liquids should just cover the ham.
• Add the onion halves, carrots, bay leaves and black peppercorns.
• Bring to the boil, and remove any scum that rises to the surface.
• Reduce the heat and cook on a rolling simmer for 20 minutes per lb, plus 20 minutes extra; a 3 lb ham will take 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook.
• Take off the heat, and allow to cool slightly.
• Take out the onions and discard the cloves. Skim out the black peppercorns and discard them as well as the bay leaves.
• Allow to cool completely; the ham can be stored in its cooking liquor in a cool place for up to 48 hours now, before baking.
• Before baking, remove the ham and set aside. Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface of the stock, it will be easy once the stock is cold.
• Take out the carrots and onions and chop them up finely, then add them back to the stock.
• The stock can be frozen now or kept in the fridge for about 3-4 days before being cooked and used for soups or a stew base.
• Baking the Ham:.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F or gas mark 6.
• If the ham has any skin, peel the skin off and discard it, trim any excess fat off the joint as well.
• Take an ovenproof dish large enough to take the ham with ease; skewer the sliced oranges with the cocktail sticks all over the surface of the ham.
• Spoon over the marmalade and then spoon the sugar over the oranges, patting it down firmly.
• Bake in the oven for between 30 and 45 minutes for a 3 lb ham - or until the glaze is sticky, glossy and the oranges are slightly caramelised.
• Serve slices of ham with some of the marmalade glaze over the top, garnished with a slice of orange. (Be careful to remove all the cocktail sticks before serving!).
• You can make extra glaze by heating up some marmalade with a little water or cider in a small saucepan, and serving it in a gravy boat.
• Wonderful with boiled or mashed potatoes, steamed greens or red cabbage. We often eat this with sauerkraut as well!