Glazed baked ham – the star of the Christmas table

• raw smoked ham1

  on the bone (about 5‑6 kg), skin left on

• maple syrup↗100ml ml
• apricot jam↗200g g
• soft light-brown sugar↗300g g
• whole cloves↗12

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (convection 160 °C) – gas 4. Place the ham on a rack or stand positioned over a large roasting pan, pour in 480 ml of warm water and tightly cover with foil. Put the pan in the oven, immediately lower the temperature to 160 °C (convection 140 °C) – gas 3, and roast for 5 hours.

2. 2

   Place the maple syrup, apricot jam and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan, add 50 ml of water and stir. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool.

3. 3

   Remove the ham from the oven. Increase the temperature to 200 °C (convection 180 °C) – gas 6. Carefully open the foil, avoiding steam. Using a sharp knife, lift the skin by sliding the blade under it near the joint bone, and gently remove it, leaving as much fat on the meat as possible so it does not dry out.

4. 4

   Cut the fat into large diamonds: draw a line from one corner to the opposite, then make parallel cuts every 4 cm. Repeat in the opposite direction. Insert one clove into each diamond corner. Brush the ham with the sugar mixture, pressing it into the cuts with a brush.

5. 5

   Return the ham to the oven, placing it again on the rack over the water. Roast for another 45 minutes, until it develops a rich golden‑brown colour. Serve hot or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.