Christmas Ham Recipe
Christmas Ham Photo: Jackie Cameron
“African inspired, traditional recipes! I challenge one to get the traditional recipes correct before venturing off into the unknown. Nothing can be better than a chilled glazed gammon in this hot African sun.”
Christmas Ham Recipe
Yields: 3kg Gammon
Ingredients:
3 kg Gammon
Court-Bouillon
About 4.5 litres Water (Chef’s note: water to cover the Gammon)
5 Freshly picked Bay leaves (Chef’s note use one or two of the dried Bay leaves)
500ml Beer
1 Onion
1 Carrot
1 Leek Stick
2 Celery Stalks
2 sprigs Rosemary
10 ml Whole Black Pepper corns
Glaze
50 g Butter
100 g Treacle Brown Sugar
30 ml Dijon Mustard
Whole Cloves
1 small tin Pineapple Rings
1 small box Red Cherries
Toothpicks
Method:
Put the gammon into a large pot with water to cover.
Chop the onion, carrot, leek and celery. Add to the liquid above together with the rosemary and pepper to form a Court-Bouillon (A spiced aromatic liquor or stock used for cooking meats in. Food cooked in this liquid absorbs the flavours of the ingredients).
Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer (chef's note: on average for every 1kg of gammon, boneless, I suggest to simmer for about 40 minutes. With bone in, as in this case I suggest cooking for 45 minutes per 1kg). So this gammon we cooked for 2 hours and 25 minutes.
Once cooked remove outer skin and score (chef's note: with a knife cut fat to form shallow incisions which could result in shapes; for instance: triangles).
Glaze. Melt the butter and add treacle sugar and Dijon mustard.
Glaze the Gammon, insert cloves in and around the meat. Finish by using toothpicks to attach pineapple and cherries into the gammon.
Place in the oven at 180 ̊C for 40 minutes or until beautifully glazed. Baste (chef's note: a term meaning to lightly moisten meat while in the oven to prevent the outer surface from drying out) often.
Allow to cool and serve.
Please post your comments and any food-related questions below. I look forward to hearing from you.