Gingered Ham – A Boxing Day Treat!

 

I cook a ham every year at Christmas time to enjoy on Boxing Day and the few days afterwards. Sometimes I boil, sometimes I bake or roast,  but I always tend to give it a sticky glaze so that it looks good as the centrepiece for the buffet table. This one, from my latest cookery book ‘The Bariatric Bible’ has a hint of ginger and really does cook very tender so that it is easy on the pouch. My publishers have very kindly allowed me to share it with you. For more details of the book click here.

 

GINGERED HAM

 

This flavoursome ham is slow-cooked in the oven, resulting in meltingly tender meat with a sticky ginger glaze. It’s a favourite at Christmas time but can be rolled out for any seasonal celebration. It will comfortably serve 8 or more.

 

3kg/6½lb boneless unsmoked gammon joint

750ml/1¼ pints/2½ cups sugar-free ginger beer

1 onion, quartered

small piece root ginger, peeled and sliced

10 black peppercorns

6 whole cloves

1 tbsp grated root ginger

3 tbsp reduced sugar ginger jam/jelly, marmalade or orange conserve

extra cloves to decorate (optional)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas 3. Place the ham in a deep roasting pan that will snugly hold the joint. Add all but 75ml/3fl oz/1/3 cup of the ginger beer to than ham along with the onion, sliced ginger, peppercorns and cloves. Cover tightly with a double layer of foil and cook in the oven for 4½ hours, basting once or twice during this time.
2. Uncover, pour away all but 1 tbsp of the juices from the ham. Increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F/gas 6.
3. To make the glaze, heat the remaining ginger beer with the grated ginger, ginger jam or other preserve until boiling. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy.
4. Meanwhile, cut away most of the skin from the ham, leaving just a thin layer of fat. Score the fat into a diamond pattern and brush over half of the glaze. Decorate the cut surface with studded cloves if liked. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Brush again with the remaining glaze and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until golden. Serve hot or cold.

 

SERVES 8

WLS PORTION: ½

 

CALORIES PER PORTION: 470

PROTEIN: 62.4g

CARBOHYDRATE: 2.6g

FAT: 23.4g

 

Image and recipe © copyright of Bariatric Cookery UK Ltd and Grub Street. Featured in ‘The Bariatric Bible’ cookery and advice book by Carol Bowen Ball