Without wading too far into the Christmas dinner debate, there really is nothing quite like a roasted ham on the big day.
It looks gorgeous, picturesque in the centre of a table surrounded by roasted vegetables, smells beautiful and those slices with a bit of gravy? Heaven, actually.
Of course, let’s not forget those Boxing Day sandwiches. They’re almost better than the meal itself.
However, Jamie Oliver has one trick to making this festive classic even tastier and it’s quite sweet.
On his website, Jamie describes this ham as an ‘absolute winner’, and we couldn’t agree more.
You see, the secret to his delicious ham is actually Paddington’s favourite — marmalade! The chef combines a whole jar of the sticky spread with lemon, a good bunch of rosemary and peppercorns to make an unforgettable glaze.
The marmalade is actually one of the final stages of his cooking process, mixed with rosemary and spread over the joint before the final 1 hour roast, giving a golden, crispy finish.
My mouth is watering writing this.
As for what he recommends as accompaniments?
He says: “For the main event, sweet and salty ham goes really well with buttery greens, tart cranberry sauces and lots of crunchy roasties.
“When it comes to Boxing Day leftovers, serve your sliced ham with a fresh and zingy winter slaw, a crispy, caramelised bubble & squeak, or keep things simple and serve with a hunk of bread and a dollop of mustard.”
Sold.
If this is your first Christmas opting for ham, you may be wondering what exactly the difference between gammon and ham is. Jamie explains: “Pretty much any part of a pig can be cured to make ham, but the most common cuts are the shoulder and leg.
“In most supermarkets, you’ll find both gammon and ham. Gammon has been pre-cured in salt and requires cooking (similar to bacon), whereas ham has been dry-cured or cooked and is ready to eat. Once gammon is cooked, it is called ham.”
The more you know!
Jamie’s full recipe can be found here.
