Name: Marmalade, ginger & star anise baked ham
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 35 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 ½kg gammon joint, rolled and tied; 500ml cider; 500ml orange juice; 10 black peppercorns; 1 onion halved; 3 bay leaves; 2 celery sticks, halved; 2 carrots halved; ½ small bunch of parsley; 150g marmalade; 100g light brown soft sugar; 2 limes juiced; 2cm piece of ginger peeled and grated to a purée; 2 star anise plus extra to use on the joint

Marmalade, ginger & star anise baked ham on a carving board

2 ½kg gammon
joint, rolled and tied
500ml cider
500ml orange juice
10 black peppercorns
1 onion
halved
3 bay leaves
2 celery
sticks, halved
2 carrots
halved
½ small bunch of parsley

For the glaze

150g marmalade
100g light brown soft sugar
2 limes
juiced
2cm piece of ginger
peeled and grated to a purée
2 star anise
plus extra to use on the joint

Method

step 1
Put the gammon in a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Pour away the water and any scum.
step 2
Add the cider and orange to the pan, followed by enough water to cover the ham, then add the peppercorns, onion, bay, celery, carrots and parsley. Bring slowly to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and cook gently for 1½ hrs, or until the meat is tender. Cool to room temperature, then leave the meat in the liquid in the fridge for up to two days until you are ready to bake it.
step 3
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lift the ham onto a board and, using a small sharp knife, remove the skin and string, leaving as much fat as possible on the joint. Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern, without cutting through the meat. Put the ham in a roasting tin lined with a double layer of foil.
step 4
Heat the marmalade, sugar, lime juice, ginger and 2 star anise in a saucepan until the sugar and marmalade have melted. Leave to cool a little so the glaze thickens.
step 5
Spread the glaze over the ham, then push star anise into some of the diamonds and bake for 40 mins until glossy and caramelised in patches. Baste the ham, spooning the glaze over it, a couple of times during the cooking time. Leave to cool slightly before slicing and serving.