stout-glazed ham with brown sugar and mustard
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this is a traditional way to do a glazed ham, but nowadays I do it in Coca Cola, as Nigella decrees. It shouldn't work, but it does. It'll be here eventually!
1 x 4kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint (or use 2 @ 2kg)
2 rounded tbsp English mustard
1-2 rounded tbsp demerara sugar
25-30 cloves
1 x 330ml can stout
put gammon into a large pan, cover with cold water, and bring to boil. Drain, return to pan and refill with cold water. Bring to the boil. *Do not underestimate* how long this will take, especially if your gas pressure is awful, like ours :)
skim any scum, and simmer for 2.5 hours for a large joint, or 1 hour for two small joints. Remove from heat, and leave in the stock till cold. Overnight, probably.
then remove gammon from the pan and reserve the stock. Preheat the oven to 220C / gas 7. Discard the string, and peel off the rind, then score a diamond pattern in the fat. Spread the mustard over the fat, then sprinkle on the sugar and press it into the mustard. Stud each diamond with a clove.
transfer the gammon to a roasting tin, add stout, and a ladle full of stock. Gently baste with a little of the liquid, then cook in the oven for 45-55 minutes for the large ham, or 30-40 minutes for the smaller hams, till deep golden, basting twice. Remove from the oven and leave to cool complete before carving.
