Glazed Christmas Ham

Know which ham you bought

Read the label before you plan anything. Most US, Canadian and Australian hams say fully cooked (city ham, leg ham, spiral-sliced), so you are only reheating to 140°F (60°C). With these hams the risk is dryness, never undercooking. A UK gammon or any ham labeled 'cook before eating' is raw. If the label says to soak it, soak it overnight in cold water to draw out salt. Simmer it in water or cider for 20 minutes per lb (450 g) plus 20 minutes, until it reads 145°F (63°C). Do that the day before and chill it. On the day it counts as a cooked ham, so follow the same covered reheat and glaze as everyone else.

• Bone-in: allow 3/4 lb (340 g) per person, or 1 lb (450 g) if you want leftovers. A 9 lb (4 kg) half ham feeds about 12.
• Boneless: allow 1/3 to 1/2 lb (150 to 225 g) per person.
• Spiral-sliced is easiest to serve but dries fastest. It heats in about 10 to 12 minutes per lb. An unsliced ham stays juicier but needs about 13 to 15 minutes per lb and 10 extra minutes of carving.
• Frozen ham needs about 5 hours per lb in the fridge to thaw, which is 2 full days for a 9 lb ham. Buy it fresh-chilled if you can.

Low and covered first, glaze last

Sugar glaze scorches if it sits in the oven for 2 hours, and an uncovered ham loses its moisture. That is why you do the slow heating first: cut side down, a cup of water in the pan, foil sealed tight. Only then do you go hot and glazed for the final 25 minutes. Trust an instant-read thermometer over minutes per pound, because ham shapes and fridge temperatures vary. Push it into the thickest part without touching the bone.

Plan backward from dinner time. A rested ham under foil stays hot for 45 to 60 minutes. Pull it early and use the free oven at a higher heat for potatoes and sides. This is the trick experienced hosts rely on when there is only one oven. To save time on the day, make the glaze on Christmas Eve, keep it in the fridge and warm it for a minute before brushing.

Serving it cold is the norm in a hot Australian Christmas and common for UK Boxing Day spreads. Glaze it the day before, cool it, refrigerate it uncovered for an hour so the glaze sets, then cover and keep it chilled. Slice straight from the fridge.

Picking a glaze

The default brown sugar and mustard glaze makes about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml), enough for an 8 to 10 lb (3.5 to 4.5 kg) ham. Allow roughly 2 1/2 tbsp (40 ml) per lb and double it for a whole leg. Swaps that use the same method:

• Maple-orange: maple syrup instead of honey, plus 1 tsp orange zest.
• Marmalade: 3/4 cup marmalade replaces the honey and half the sugar. This is a UK favorite.
• Apricot or pineapple: 3/4 cup apricot jam replaces the honey and half the sugar, or use pineapple juice instead of the orange juice. This is the US and Australian classic, often studded with cloves.
• Short on time: the packet glaze that comes with the ham is fine. Use it the same way, in the last 25 minutes only.

How to tell it went right

The glaze should be bubbling and lacquered with a few dark edges. It should feel tacky but set after resting, and the center should read 140°F (60°C). Slices should look pink and glossy, not grey and curling at the edges. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 5 days. Freeze the bone for split pea or bean soup.