THE CHEF AND THE BUTCHER
Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich channel their inner Santas and deliver the goods with an all-Aussie ham that will bring out Christmas cheer.
A: Can we do something with alcohol? Like, with a whisky? C: I think we need to do Calvados. Soy sauce. Chilli. Asian-style. Spice it up. A: I don’t think people want an Asian-style ham. People are traditionalists. C: Vegemite? A: Oh, okay. Are we going for an Aussie ham then? What about instead of cloves we used something else? C: Finger limes? A: I don't know about that. C: We could do stock, maple syrup, Vegemite. But we need a sour element. A: Wait, I think we need to go back to the alcohol. Our audience loves recipes with booze! C: Alright. Cherry ham? A: Cherries are in season, yes! C: We can make it really easy and use a black cherry preserve as well as fresh. A: Can we do the cherry and alcohol together, though? C: Kirsch? A: Nobody buys that. Rum? C: Yes, rum! We can boil the rum and macerate the fresh cherries in that with the rest of the glaze ingredients. A: I like a ham with cherries. C: What if we go really Aussie and do rum and Coke ham? A: Yes! C: My rum and Coke ham will go off! A: I said rum, and I said cherries! I can’t believe you’re stealing my idea. C: It was a collaboration actually! A: Rum and Coke – it’s the drink that everybody loves to hate because it was the one they had when they were first drunk. And probably unwell. C: It’s nostalgia in a glass. It’s the caravan-park-by-the-beach holiday all wrapped up in a glass. A: It’s the true Australian ham. Rum and Coke is in my blood. C: The chef and the butcher take rum and Coke from the back room to the front room. A: We’re not going to be marginalised anymore. We’re bringing rum and Coke to the nation! C: We don’t want to make it too bogan. A: Can you put a pair of thongs next to the ham in the photo shoot? C: No. We’re going to use a top-tier rum. A: No, everyone has a bottle of Bundaberg in the back of the cupboard, we’ll use that. No waste!
RUM, COKE & CHERRY GLAZED HAM
SERVES 14+
1/4 cup (60ml) Bundaberg rum
500g jar black cherry preserve 700ml Coca-Cola
400g brown sugar
100g fresh cherries, pitted, halved, plus
extra left whole, to serve
Peel and juice of 1 orange
2 tsp ground mixed spice
7kg whole leg ham on the bone
To make the glaze, place all ingredients, except the ham, in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes until reduced by one-quarter and slightly thickened. Strain into a heatproof jug and set aside, reserving the solids for a garnish.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large, deep roasting pan with baking paper. Using a small sharp knife, cut around the ham shank, then carefully run the knife under the skin around the edge of the ham. Gently lift off the skin in 1 piece by running your fingers between the skin and the fat. Discard the skin and trim the fat so it is 5mm thick all over.
Pour half of the glaze into the prepared pan, then place the ham fat-side down on top. Pour over remaining glaze and roast for 50 minutes. Carefully turn the ham over and baste with glaze then roast, basting every 10-15 minutes, for a further 40 minutes or until caramelised. Remove the ham from the oven and cool slightly before placing on a serving platter. Spoon over any remaining glaze from the roasting pan and scatter reserved ingredients over the ham. Serve with fresh cherries.
BUTCHER’S CUT CHRISTMAS HAM
Traditional festive hams are usually cut from the shank, or the leg, as the fat content is higher – this is key to a juicy ham – and the bone makes it easier to carve. If you purchase a smoked, cured or baked ham, there is no need to cook it. Simply make a glaze, remove the skin and score the fat before brushing on the glaze and baking.