Christmas isn’t complete without a home-cooked gammon. This recipe involves cooking the ham in cola, make sure you use the full sugar variety, which combines beautifully with the flavour of the spices.
Serves 10
1.1kg gammon joint, washed in cold water
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
12 cloves
12 black peppercorns
Flat-leaved parsley, as needed
1 onion, cut in half
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2l bottle full sugar cola
Cloves, as needed
1 orange, juiced and zested
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp orange marmalade
Preparation time: 20 mins. Cooking time: 1 hours and 15 mins.
1. Place the gammon joint, skin side down in a very large saucepan, add the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, parsley, onion, orange and carrot.
2. Pour in the cola and top up with cold water to ensure the gammon is covered.
3. Bring to the boil on the boiling plate, hotplate on boiling setting or induction hob on high and boil for 5 minutes. Remove any of the white scum which rises to the surface.
4. Place saucepan in the oven. CAST OVEN: floor grid set on the floor of the simmering oven or oven on B3 setting. FAN OVEN: preheated to B3/140o/275oF. Cook for 25 minutes per 450g or until tender.
5. Remove the gammon from the pan and drain well.
6. Remove the rind leaving a layer of fat beneath. Score the fat with a diamond pattern and place a clove in each diamond.
7. Mix together the orange zest and juice, mustard, sugar and marmalade to form a paste.
8. Spread generously over the gammon.
9. Place gammon into a roasting tin. CAST OVEN: hang on third set of runners in the roasting oven or oven on R8 setting. FAN OVEN: preheated to R7/200oC/400OF. Roast for 15-25 minutes until topping is browned.
10. Allow to rest for 20 minutes until carving.
