Recipe

Pomegranate-glazed baked ham

Sep 27, 2013 2:00pm
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 20 mins cooking
  • Serves 20
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Ingredients

Pomegranate-glazed baked ham
  • 5 kilogram leg or shoulder ham
  • whole cloves, to decorate
  • 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Method

Pomegranate-glazed baked ham
  • 1
    To prepare ham, cut skin in a zigzag around shank, 10cm from knuckle. Don't cut into meat. Push thumb under skin at shank end to loosen rind, then loosen rind around edges of ham. Gently pull rind from fat to remove.
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 160°C or 150°C fan forced. Score fat in a diamond pattern, careful not to cut into meat. Stud with cloves. Place in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake for 45 mins.
  • 3
    To make glaze, combine pomegranate molasses, brown sugar and 2 tbsp water in a bowl. Remove foil and brush glaze all over ham.
  • 4
    Increase oven to 200°C or 150°C fan forced. Bake, basting occasionally with pan juices, for 35-40 mins, until richly coloured and shiny.
  • 5
    Protect hand from heat by covering shank with a piece of muslin or napkin. Hold shank and, starting from opposite end, carve ham with a carving knife. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

Use your fingers and thumb to separate the rind from the layer of fat. Try to keep the rind in one piece, so the fat stays even and looks great once baked. Don't panic if the rind breaks, just keep using your fingers - don't cut or slice it away with a knife. Discard the rind. Use a sharp knife to score the fat and don't cut down to the meat, as this will cause the fat layer to fall away during baking. Score shallow lines in one direction across the fat at 2-3cm intervals, then repeat the other way for a perfect crisscross pattern. If the shank browns too quickly during baking wrap a piece off oil around it. Keep to the suggested cooking temperatures and time to ensure the ham is cooked to perfection. The best way to avoid a burnt roasting pan is to line it with aluminium foil. The trick is to go up the sides of the dish as well, so none of the fat and juices can seep underneath and burn. Throw the fats and juices away with the foil to make washing up a breeze.

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