3kg (8lb) gammon joint on the bone or 3kg (6½lb) off the bone
1 large onion, quartered
71/2 cm (3in) fresh root ginger, thickly sliced
2 bay leaves
12 peppercorns
1l (1¾ pints) cider or apple juice
1 orange, thickly sliced
½ tbsp ground ginger
3Tbsp. marmalade
Whole cloves for studding the ham
Directions
Step 1
Weigh gammon to calculate the cooking times, allowing 25min per 450g (1lb). To reduce the saltiness of the gammon, soak in cold water overnight. Alternatively, put in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10min. Discard water.
Step 2
When ready to cook, put the gammon into a large pan, add the onion, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns, cider or apple juice and orange pieces, then cover with cold water. Bring just to the boil, then simmer very gently for the calculated cooking time. Don't let the water boil as this will toughen the meat.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put the joint on a board. Put three ladlefuls of the poaching liquid into a jug. Strain remainder, freeze for up to one month and use to make soup. Cut away and discard the gammon skin, leaving behind a thin layer of fat. Use a sharp knife to score a criss-cross diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put the joint on a board. Put three ladlefuls of the poaching liquid into a jug. Strain remainder, freeze for up to one month and use to make soup. Cut away and discard the gammon skin, leaving behind a thin layer of fat. Use a sharp knife to score a criss-cross diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh.
Step 4
Transfer ham to a roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Mix together the ginger and marmalade in a small bowl. Brush over the joint, then stud each diamond with a clove. Pour the reserved poaching liquid around the meat. Roast for 30min, basting every 10min. Leave the ham to stand for at least 15min on a board. Slice thickly and serve.
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”!).
