Sloe Gin Ham

If your gammon is tied, keep it tied during boiling for neatness. Remove string for scoring, then re-tie for glazing and roasting.

Hands-on time 25min, plus cooling. Cooking time about

4½hr. Serves 8, with leftovers

● 4kg whole boneless smoked or unsmoked gammon

● 1 litre apple juice

● 1 onion, sliced

● 2 bay leaves

● 1 cinnamon stick

● 20 black peppercorns

● 40-50 whole cloves

FOR THE GLAZE

● 100g damson jam

● 50g granulated sugar

● 75ml sloe gin

YOU’LL ALSO NEED

● Kitchen string

1 Weigh gammon and put it into a large deep pan; add apple juice. Top up with cold water to cover, then add onion, bay, cinnamon and peppercorns. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25min per 450g to cook through, skimming off surface scum regularly and topping up with water as needed.

2 Remove ham from cooking liquid to a board and leave to cool for 15min.

3 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Untie ham (if it is tied), then use a knife to remove skin, leaving a good layer of fat on the ham. Score a diamond pattern into fat (not cutting down into meat). Re-tie ham with kitchen string (to maintain a better shape) and stud a clove into each diamond.

4 Line a roasting tin that will just fit the ham with a double layer of foil. Add ham (fat-side up). In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients. Brush roughly ⅓ over meat and into fat. Roast for 25-30min, basting with remaining glaze every 10min, until deeply caramelised. Serve warm or at room temperature in slices.

PER SERVING (125g meat) 283cals, 29g protein, 15g fat (5g saturates), 5g carbs (5g total sugars), 0g fibre