Easy Christmas Ham
A tangy yet sweet glaze with a hint of holiday spices is exactly what this Easy and Delicious Christmas Ham will taste like. This is the recipe you want to have handy when you know you'll be busy on Christmas Day but you want to make sure your ham turns out perfect with minimal effort.
This recipe is literally mixing up a few ingredients, peeling off the ham skin, and then basting. Three simple steps to the most perfect Christmas Ham you will make and serve. And by the way, this recipe is refined sugar-free which means more ham on our plate! It’s a win-win!
Helpful Tips
Picnic Ham rather than Leg Ham
I actually used a picnic ham this time round which is part of the foreleg, not a back leg to see whether the recipe also works, and yes it does! I actually found it carved easier too so don’t be shy to use this part as your “Christmas Ham”
Serve it with...
I love to serve this ham with a creamy or tangy potato salad and pan-fried green beans. It makes a wonderful Christmas Day meal and it is light and fresh.
Leftovers?
If you have leftover ham, why not freeze it in slices? Just make sure you use a zip seal bag that is air-tight so it doesn’t dry out the ham.
Scoring
I choose to score the ham fat in parallel lines over a diamond pattern because a) I prefer the look of the ham this way, and b) it is easier to slice because it keeps the fat intact with the slice you are cutting.
Decorate
Decorate your ham as you choose. I have tied a ribbon around and added sage leaves from my garden. You could add rosemary and even a few small twigs and leaves from your fresh Christmas tree if you have one in the garden. Anything goes!
Watch How to Make It
And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. I am available here via email or you can catch me daily on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you.
Happy Creating,
Margaret
Easy Christmas Ham
Serves 10+
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 40 minutes
Ham:
2-2.5kg half leg of ham or picnic ham
2 carrots, sliced in half
2 celery sticks, remove strings
2 large onions, sliced into rings
Glaze:
200ml maple syrup
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbs wholegrain mustard
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1. Preheat oven to 160C fan forced.
2. Run a sharp knife down the skin of the ham and using your fingers and running them back and forth, remove the skin, leaving the fat intact. Then again, using a sharp knife, score the fat either in a diamond pattern or in parallel lines.
3. Place a sheet of baking paper in the baking tray. Spread evenly the vegetables and then place the ham over the top (cover the knuckle with foil to prevent it from burning). Set aside to make the glaze.
4. In a bowl combine the glaze ingredients and whisk.
5. Brush 1/3 of the glaze all over the ham and place on a baking sheet and then foil over the top. Tuck in so no steam evaporates. Bake for 45 minutes (2kg ham) to 1 hour (2.5kg ham).
6. Remove baking paper and foil and baste ham with glaze. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Baste a second time and bake for a further 20 minutes. Baste a third time and bake for a final 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before carving.
Delicious Option: You can add the pan drippings and vegetables to a food processor with any remaining glaze and process until it is a paste. This makes a delicious “condiment”.
