Apricot & Maple Glazed Ham
This apricot glazed ham is a classic Aussie Christmas centrepiece with a warmly spiced twist. An Otway ham is scored, studded with cloves and brushed with a glossy glaze of apricot jam and maple syrup, spiced with star anise, cinnamon and allspice. It bakes in about an hour to a sticky, caramelised finish. It’s an easy, impressive ham for feeding a crowd, and it’s just as good served warm on Christmas Day as it is cold in Boxing Day sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 1 x 7–8 kg Otway Ham, skin removed (either a bone-in ham or boneless ham)
- Whole cloves (approximately 50), for studding the ham
Spiced Apricot & Maple Glaze
- ¾ cup apricot jam
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 star anise
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan-forced.
Using a sharp knife, score the ham fat (not the flesh) in a grid pattern at 2 cm wide intervals. Insert a clove into the centre of each square of fat.
Wrap the ham hock in foil (this prevents it from burning). Place the ham on a greased rack in a large baking dish lined with foil. For ease use a large disposable foil roasting dish.
To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring, over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Brush ham two to three times with the glaze to evenly coat the ham fat. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, brushing with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until ham is golden and caramelised. Arrange star anise (used in the glaze) on the ham in the last 15 minutes of baking.
Rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
FAQs
Can I use a boneless ham for this recipe?
Yes. The recipe works with either a bone-in or boneless Otway ham. With a boneless ham there’s no hock to wrap in foil, so you can skip that step. Keep an eye on it towards the end, as it may glaze a little faster.
How do I remove the skin from a ham?
Cut through the rind around the hock about 10 cm from the end. Then slide your fingers between the rind and the fat and gently peel it back, leaving an even layer of fat. Taking the ham out of the fridge an hour beforehand makes the skin easier to remove.
Why do you wrap the ham hock in foil?
The hock is thinner and more exposed than the rest of the ham, so it can dry out or burn in the oven. Wrapping it in foil protects it and keeps the ham looking neat for serving.
Should glazed ham be served hot or cold?
Either works. Serve it warm, sliced from the bone, as the centrepiece on Christmas Day. Leftovers are delicious cold in salads and sandwiches.
Recipe courtesy of Australian Pork Limited.
