Marmalade Glazed Boiled Ham

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 07/30/21
Marmalade glazed boiled ham
Elaine Lemm
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284 Calories
9g Fat
18g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 1573mg 68%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 13mg 64%
Calcium 87mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 769mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

To make a boiled ham you need gammon, a form of pork cured by salting or brining that needs to be cooked before it's safe to eat. Always a favorite at celebrations such as Christmas, boiled ham is also the typical offering on Boxing Day and popular during Easter. It makes a wonderful lunch and is great for buffet spreads.

This marmalade glazed ham is a delicious, fruity alternative to the more traditional honey or molasses hams. Using marmalade and brown sugar as the glaze creates a wonderful, sticky coating which, surprisingly, does not overpower the delicate flavors of the ham.

Always check if the gammon you buy needs to be soaked before cooking to remove the saltiness, although many brands use a milder curing process that doesn't need soaking. The ham can be prepared a day or two in advance then wrapped and stored in the refrigerator unsliced. Don't carve until needed or the meat will lose its color, although this will not impact the flavor. Serve it hot in thick slices with boiled potatoes and roasted veggies, or slice it thinly when cold for salads or sandwiches with chutney and pickles.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium red onion, quartered

  • 1 leek, chopped and washed

  • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 2 stalk celery sticks, cleaned and roughly chopped

  • 2 ounces flat leaf parsley

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 pounds gammon, or cured ham, boned and loosely rolled

  • 2 ounces whole cloves

  • 2 tablespoons chunky-cut marmalade

  • 2 tablespoons soft dark brown sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place all the roughly chopped vegetables into a pan large enough to hold them and the gammon with spare room for the liquid. Lay the gammon on top of the vegetables and cover with cold water, making sure the meat is under the water. If the gammon floats to the top, place a heavy plate on it to weigh the gammon down.

  3. Bring the gammon to a gentle boil. With the help of a slotted spoon, remove any white scum that may rise to the surface. After approximately 20 minutes, lower the heat and continue to cook the gammon for an additional hour.

  4. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

  5. Remove the gammon from the water and place it onto a pan with a rack so the excess liquid can drain. Keep the stock as the base for other recipes (see below).

  6. Using a sharp knife, remove the tough skin on the gammon, leaving a layer of fat no more than 1/8 in thickness. 

  7. Lightly slash the fat diagonally 3/4 in apart in both directions to create a diamond pattern. Stud the center of each diamond with a clove.

  8. Make your glaze by mixing the marmalade and sugar in a small bowl.

  9. Smear the glaze over the ham and put it into a roasting tin, uncovered.

  10. Bake in the hot oven for 15 mins or until the sugar has melted, is bubbling and has turned a golden brown color. Because of the high sugar content in the glaze, it can go from golden to burnt in seconds, so it's best to remove it from the oven sooner than later and keep a close eye on the caramelization process.

  11. Remove the ham from the oven and leave to cool slightly for at least 15 minutes if serving it immediately. Or cool the ham entirely if storing.

  12. Enjoy!

How to Use the Leftover Stock

Don't get rid of the tasty stock resulting from cooking the gammon. Here are a few ideas on how to use it and store it:

  • Once it's cold, blend it at high speed and freeze it in ice trays so each individual cube can be added to sauces and soups.
  • The blended stock can be the base for green pea and ham soup.
  • Chop the meat of a rotisserie chicken and add it to 6 cups of the stock. Add 1/2 cup of rice or orzo and make a delicious chicken soup.
  • Combine the blended stock with egg noodles and frozen peas and carrots.
  • The blended stock by itself can be served as an appetizer with warm rolls and whipped butter.