Celebration Spiced Baked Ham With Orange and Marmalade Glaze

A delectable sticky glazed ham cooked in spiced cider and with a tangy marmalade glaze! This is one of my most requested recipes from family and friends - I have been cooking and preparing this ham for about 20 years now; it is wonderful for celebrations and festive gatherings! You can increase the quantities and weight with ease, although I have given the minimum ham weight here. The "boil before baking" method gives you a moist and flavourful ham with a sticky glaze, and just a hint of spices. A couple of "musts", do use good quality high fruit ratio marmalade, and if the ham is smoked or heavily brined - do soak the ham joint overnight or for up to 24 hours, in cold water - it disperses the excess salt. This ham makes a wonderful centrepiece for any special meal; however, it is also a wonderful and very economical way of providing two more types of snacks or meals - ham sandwiches, plus the ham stock makes a delicious base for all types of soups, especially ham and pea soup! I have stated oranges for the decorative finish - but clementines or tangerines would work very well too.

• Ready In: 25 hrs 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs ham, joint
• 1  pint cider (optional)
•  water
• 1  large onion, peeled and cut in half
• 2  large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 10  cloves
• 10  black peppercorns
• 2  bay leaves

• Finish and Glaze

• 4 -6  tablespoons marmalade
• 1  large oranges or 1  medium orange, sliced thinly
• 2  tablespoons demerara sugar or 2  tablespoons soft brown sugar
•  wooden cocktail  stick

Directions

1. If the ham or gammon needs soaking, place in cold, clean water and soak overnight or for up to 24 hours.
2. Boiling the Ham:
3. Place ham joint in a roomy saucepan - there should be plenty of space to add the liquids plus the vegetables and spices.
4. Stick the cloves into the onion halves - 5 cloves in each half.
5. Pour in the cider if using and top up with water - the liquids should just cover the ham.
6. Add the onion halves, carrots, bay leaves and black peppercorns.
7. Bring to the boil, and remove any scum that rises to the surface.
8. Reduce the heat and cook on a rolling simmer for 20 minutes per lb, plus 20 minutes extra; a 3 lb ham will take 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook.
9. Take off the heat, and allow to cool slightly.
10. Take out the onions and discard the cloves. Skim out the black peppercorns and discard them as well as the bay leaves.
11. Allow to cool completely; the ham can be stored in its cooking liquor in a cool place for up to 48 hours now, before baking.
12. Before baking, remove the ham and set aside. Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface of the stock, it will be easy once the stock is cold.
13. Take out the carrots and onions and chop them up finely, then add them back to the stock.
14. The stock can be frozen now or kept in the fridge for about 3-4 days before being cooked and used for soups or a stew base.
15. Baking the Ham:
16. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F or gas mark 6.
17. If the ham has any skin, peel the skin off and discard it, trim any excess fat off the joint as well.
18. Take an ovenproof dish large enough to take the ham with ease; skewer the sliced oranges with the cocktail sticks all over the surface of the ham.
19. Spoon over the marmalade and then spoon the sugar over the oranges, patting it down firmly.
20. Bake in the oven for between 30 and 45 minutes for a 3 lb ham - or until the glaze is sticky, glossy and the oranges are slightly caramelised.
21. Serve slices of ham with some of the marmalade glaze over the top, garnished with a slice of orange. (Be careful to remove all the cocktail sticks before serving!).
22. You can make extra glaze by heating up some marmalade with a little water or cider in a small saucepan, and serving it in a gravy boat.
23. Wonderful with boiled or mashed potatoes, steamed greens or red cabbage. We often eat this with sauerkraut as well!