A glorious glazed ham makes a super centrepiece at any time of year and this tropical take is perfect for sunny days. You can use a smoked or unsmoked gammon for this, but smoked works particularly well, with an almost barbecued flavour to it.
No need to sideline the Sunday roast because of warmer weather – we’ve given our favourites a lighter, summery makeover. Simple to prepare and best enjoyed al fresco.
This ham joint is cooked in pineapple juice and served with a refreshing pineapple salsa!
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Yields:
8
Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 25 mins
Cal/Serv:
579
Ingredients
3
kg boneless smoked/unsmoked gammon
1
onion, sliced
2
bay leaves
1tsp.
black peppercorns
2
whole star anise
1l
pure/fresh pineapple juice (not from concentrate)
3Tbsp.
dark brown soft sugar
Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
For the salsa
1
medium-size ripe pineapple
1
red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
2
spring onions, halved and sliced
1
large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
Handful coriander, roughly chopped
Directions
Step 1Weigh gammon and calculate the cooking time, allowing 20min per 450g, plus 20min.
Step 2Put gammon in a pan just big enough to hold it (that has a lid), with the onion, bay leaves, peppercorns and star anise. Add 750ml pineapple juice and top up with cold water to cover. Cover with the lid and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer very gently for the calculated cooking time.
Step 3Remove ham from cooking liquid (reserve liquid) and put on a board. Leave to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Meanwhile, put reserved pineapple juice in a small pan, bring to the boil and bubble until reduced, about 15min.
Step 4Remove any string from the ham. Using a sharp knife, slice off the skin, leaving a good layer of fat. Score a close diamond pattern into the fat (not cutting into the meat).
Step 5Line a roasting tin that will just fit the ham with a double layer of foil. Add ham (fat-side up). Brush the reduced pineapple juice over the meat and into the fat, and sprinkle the fat with the sugar and dried chilli flakes (if using). Add a large mugful of the reserved cooking liquid to the roasting tin. Roast for 25-35min, until an even golden brown.
Step 6Meanwhile, make the salsa. Slice the skin off the pineapple and use the tip of a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the brown ‘eyes’. Cut into quarters vertically and slice out the woody core. Finely dice the flesh. Add to a serving bowl and mix in the remaining salsa ingredients and a generous pinch of salt.
Step 7Serve the gammon in slices with the salsa.
Get ahead
Poach the gammon a day or 2 ahead; cool completely in the cooking liquid then cover and chill (still in liquid). Bring to room temperature before completing recipe to serve. The finished ham and salsa will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, bring to room temperature before serving.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
