Ham Glaze Recipe

To cut your ham, begin by creating a flat surface on the ham by cutting off some of the ham from the widest part of the meat. Stick a large fork into the meat as far as you can to stabilize the ham on your chopping board and using a sharp knife, start cutting the shank end (more pointed than the butt end).

Cut thin, vertical slices across the ham all the way down to the bone. When you have cut all your slices, make one horizontal cut that is parallel to the bone to release the ham slices you’ve made.

The cooking time largely depends on the size of the ham. You don’t want a dry piece of overcooked ham, so knowing exactly how long to bake it for is crucial. The following is a guide for ham joints with the whole bone-in weighing 10 to 14 pounds.

Smoked ham, uncooked – 18 to 20 minutes per pound
Smoked ham, cooked – 15 to 18 minutes per pound
Fresh ham, uncooked – 22 to 26 minutes per pound

You first need to soak the ham to remove excess salt from the meat. Soak a very small joint of ham for 8 hours and up to 24 hours for a large one. Make sure the ham is kept cold during the soaking and the water needs to be changed every 6 to 8 hours.

Place ham in a large pan on the stovetop, cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim away any impurities and leave the ham to simmer. You should allow 20 minutes per pound. Once the ham has boiled, remove it from the pan and leave it to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before peeling away the skin.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Score the ham with deep cuts to create a diamond pattern and brush the outside of the ham with your ham glaze.
Bake ham for 30 to 40 minutes taking care to baste the ham with juices and the caramelized sugar. When the ham is golden, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 to 30 minutes before carving and serving.