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This glaze is the perfect finish on top of the smokey, flavourful festive centrepiece.
Christmas is not Christmas without a gammon, but its too good to have it only for Christmas!
Prep Time15 minsCook Time2 hrs 20 minsTotal Time2 hrs 35 mins
Ingredients
2 kg Uncooked, boneless smoked gammon
10 Whole cloves (plus whole lot extra to stud)
7.50 ml Peppercorns
2 Bay leaves
2 Fennel bulb (and some green stems), quartered
2 Onions, quartered
2 Carrots, roughly chopped
Nectarine glaze
4 Nectarines, halved
80 ml Honey
4 cm ginger, sliced
5 ml Fennel seeds
1 Cinnamon stick, broken
2 Star anise pieces
125 ml Water
Timer
Directions
1
Place gammon ingredients in a large saucepan and cover with enough cold water to submerge the gammon (or alternatively use another liquid of your choice, like cider or ginger beer).
2
Bring to a simmer and cook over gentle heat for 20 min per 500g, or until tender and cooked through –when the tip of a sharp knife slides into the meat easily it should be cooked.
3
Remove from heat and allow gammon to cool in cooking liquid.
4
Place the cooled gammon in a roasting tray and discard liquid.
5
Preheat oven to 200˚C.
6
To make the glaze, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes (adding a bit more water if necessary), until the nectarine breaks down completely.
7
Strain the jammy mixture through a sieve and discard the solids.
8
Using a sharp knife, carefully peel skin off the gammon, leaving a good layer of fat on the surface of the meat.
9
Score diamond- shapes into the fat.
10
Stud with cloves where the lines intersect (on the cross).
11
Brush gammon with glaze and roast for 20-30 minutes, basting with more glaze from time to time until dark golden and caramelised.
12
Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.