Apple cider glazed Christmas ham

Preparation Time 20 minutes

Cooking Time 3 hours

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

4.5 kg leg of __pork pickled (gammon) with bone
4 L apple juice
2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
2 bay leaves, cracked
Pinch nutmeg, freshly ground
60 cloves to stud ham

Glaze:
200 mL sweet apple cider
100 g castor sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
100 mL runny honey
100 g red currants

To serve: 
Roasted vegetables
Mustard

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place the __pork leg flat side down into a large saucepan and pour in the apple juice.  Add the cinnamon quills, bay leaves and nutmeg to the pot.
2. Simmer gently over a low heat for two hours. If the liquid level begins to drop top up with extra juice or water. Remove and cool.
3. Using a sharp knife remove the rind (skin from the leg) carefully to expose the fat.
4. Score the fat into diamonds and stud the ham with cloves.
5. Pre-heat oven to 170°C.
6. Combine the apple cider, sugar, nutmeg and honey into a small saucepan and heat over a low heat until sugar has dissolved and continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half.
7. Place ham into a large baking dish and brush with the glaze.
8. Bake ham in the pre-heated oven at 170°C for 1 hour basting frequently.
9. Serve hot with festive roasted vegetables and red currants.

Notes: apple cider may be replaced with champagne or madeira.