Christmas ham recipe

1. Put the gammon into a large pan and pour over the cider. Add the carrot, onion, bay leaves, celery and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hr. Drain, saving the cooking liquor as stock for another dish (see tips below), and discard the veg. Leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Once the gammon has cooled slightly, use a small sharp knife to remove the skin, making sure you leave a 1cm thick layer of fat all over the top. Score the fat into diamond shapes and press a cloveinto the middle of each diamond.
   WATCH: How to score gammon skin

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3. Mix the mustard powder and sugar together with ½-1 tbsp hot water to make a thick paste, cool a little and then spread over the top of the joint.
4. Place the gammon on a rack in a roasting tin lined with foil. Pour a small ladleful of the cooking liquor into the base of the tin (this stops the meat drying out) and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins or until it is a rich, golden colour on top. Baste once or twice with the juices in the base of the tin during cooking. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 mins before serving thinly sliced.

See more Ham recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

What's the best Christmas ham recipe?

The best Christmas ham should be succulent and full of flavour. Flavour combinations really depend on personal taste – this recipe uses quite traditional flavours, but if you like a really sweet glaze, you'll love our sticky gingerbread-glazed ham. Prefer to turn up the heat? Our chilli-spiced gammon is right for you.

How to prepare Christmas ham?

The best way to prepare Christmas ham is to allow plenty of time, as there are a few elements to the method. Firstly, you have to boil the ham, next you have to score and glaze the skin to achieve a flavoursome crust before roasting to finish. With each step of the preparation, you are aiming to add and retain moisture and flavour, while creating a delicious gammon crust.

What to serve with Christmas ham?

You can serve your Christmas ham with your roast turkey or as an alternative to turkey, alongside roast potatoes and all the trimmings. Alternatively, Christmas ham makes a delicious lunch for Boxing Day. Try serving with mash and veg or as part of a spread. It goes wonderfully well with bubble and squeak or try cold cuts with crusty bread and pickles.

How long can Christmas ham last in the fridge?

Christmas ham can last for 2-3 days in the fridge, covered with foil or in a airtight container. It's great served as cold cuts on Boxing Day or as part of a Christmas party food spread.

What is a Christmas ham?

A Christmas ham is a cut of pork that's cured, sometimes smoked, then cooked to enjoy at Christmas time. It's often glazed with sweet flavourings and warm spices before roasting, while the skin is scored to allow the flavours to penetrate into the meat and create a signature 'crackling' crust. Christmas ham is a versatile festive dish that can be enjoyed with or instead of roast turkey, or served as cold cuts after Christmas Day. Try our calvados and honey glazed ham, which is roasted with apples and parsnips, ready to serve at Christmas dinner.

Can you cook Christmas ham the day before?

Yes, you can cook Christmas ham the day before you serve it. Store the ham overnight in the fridge, covered or in an airtight container.

How long to boil a Christmas ham?

You will need to boil a Christmas ham for around 1 hour, but the time varies depending on the weight of the raw gammon. In our step-by-step recipe, the ham is boiled for 1 hour 30 minutes. Bring the liquid to the boil before setting the timer and let the ham simmer gently.

How to cook a Christmas ham in a slow cooker?

It's easy to cook a Christmas ham in a slow cooker – it's cooked low and slow for tender and juicy meat, allowing you to get on with other Christmas jobs! We've a delicious slow-cooker sticky gingerbread-glazed ham recipe – you just need to finish it off in the oven for 20 minute to achieve the sticky-sweet glazed crust and crispy crackling finish.

What to do with leftover Christmas ham?

We've lots of ideas for what to do with leftover Christmas ham. Serve as cold cuts with pickles, chutney and bread, either for lunch or as part of a festive buffet. Or get creative with one of our leftover ham recipes, including mac and cheese and a Chinese-style stir-fry.