New to glazed ham? Start here -> How to Make Glazed Ham. Want to try my signature Maple Glazed Ham? Here it is!
BROWN SUGAR GLAZED HAM – Made Easy!
I’m abnormally paranoid about wasting your time and money – especially for grand centrepieces. Hang ups from my youth – we lived on a tight budget when I was growing up. I hope I always remain this way! As a result, I have somewhat of an obsession with ensuring my recipes work. Which means making them repeatedly until I’m confident I’ve covered off the “problem” areas. So. Christmas Ham. I think I’ve made it considerably more than your average person. And today I want to share the knowledge I’ve accumulated. Making Christmas Ham easy, easy, easy!
How to make Christmas Ham: 3 simple steps
Choosing the Best Ham
Here’s my take on choosing the best ham for Christmas:
Evenly golden surface – Level the ham surface by propping it up using scrunched up foil so the surface caramelises more evenly (same tip for perfect pork crackling!) MUST add water into pan to stop pan drippings from burning. Burnt drippings = can’t use for basting or sauce! Bake at lower temp – Most recipes say 180C/350F which causes the glaze to burn too quickly. Lower it to 160C/320F. Don’t hesitate to foil patch bits that are browning too quickly Baste loads after cooking – this is when you can “paint” the ham to make it beautifully deep golden all over with a thick glaze using the caramelised pan juices! Get ahead – prep ham and make glaze the day before then cook on the day. OR cook the ham ahead then simply reheat!
I also get my ham from local butchers in my area (Not loyal to any, I spread the love 😂)
Bone in or out – Bone IN – it’s juicier!! She says adamantly Bone out is easier to carve but you lose so much juice through the hole where the bone was. 😩Whole or half ham – One day I might find an occasion for a 10kg/20lb whole ham leg, but for now, I always get a half leg. There are 2 types – with the handle and the other end (which looks like a half soccer ball – see below). I always get the one with the handle even though there’s less meat-to-bone because a) it looks more traditional b) it’s easier to carve; and c) you get a bigger ham bone to use later;Type: Natural wood smoked, ready-to-eat ham. NOT raw ham eg gammonDifference between value and quality hams: Good hams from quality butchers have a kind of “meaty” texture and a pure ham flavour. It’s completely different to the stuff you slap on sambos! Supermarket and value hams are injected with brine (salty water) to make them juicier. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing per se, it’s just that some go overboard and you end up with a rubbery, kind of wet ham texture. Lower quality hams pretty much taste like the stuff you put on your everyday sandwiches!
How to remove ham rind
{Watch the video!} The ham rind (or ham skin) that covers the ham all over is inedible. It’s rubbery and tough so we need to remove it. The rind wants to come off – so it’s not hard to remove. Here’s how: Clove studding option – follow directions in this Maple Glazed Ham. It’s more for visual than flavour – needs to be removed before serving.
Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is a classic recipe. It’s very similar to the Maple Mustard Ham Glaze I shared years ago – but made without maple. It’s truly magical how such a simple ham glaze recipe can transform into caramelised amazingness once it’s slathered on the ham. The key with the Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is to balance the sweet (sugar and some honey) with sour. I use vinegar and mustard (which also thickens the glaze). I like to add a touch of holiday spirit with All Spice and Cinnamon, but this optional! Making a Brown Sugar Ham Glaze is as simple as plonking the ingredients in a saucepan then just simmering until the sugar dissolves. Then slather all over the ham. And I mean ALL OVER THE HAM!!!
Baking the Glazed Ham!
This is the easiest part – if you follow a few very simple Nagi Ham Rules that make all the difference!
Sauce for Ham
The glaze is everybody’s favourite part…. and there’s just not enough to go around! So some years ago, I started using the pan drippings as the sauce to serve with the ham. It’s loaded with flavour from both the Brown Sugar Ham Glaze AND the juices of the ham. The foil will stick to the glaze like glue – then peel off carefully once the ham is done. If you accidentally peel some caramelisation off, don’t fret! Just paint it with the pan juices and it will look as good as new! The pan drippings are usually a bit thick to use as a sauce so I just thin it with water. The flavour is very intense so you don’t lose flavour at all. Other sauce options: chutney, Cranberry Sauce, mustard, caramelised onion jam. And there you have it. My ultimate ham guide! There’s a few bits I haven’t covered – cooked ham storage, shelf life, making ahead (this is super handy!) – which I’ve popped in the recipe notes. Ah – wait! And most important – save the ham bone!! Last year I promised I’d share a ham bone recipe shortly after Christmas and a mere 8 months later, I published a 3 ingredient Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup. 😂 This time, I can 100% promise you that I am sitting at my computer eating this years’ leftover ham bone recipe. It will be with you in the first week of the New Year (because I have something else I’m super excited to share as this years’ Christmas leftovers recipe!!). And finally. After possibly the longest post of 2018 – I present to you the Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Recipe. 😅 ~ Nagi x PS. For a mini, everyday or economical version, you can even use this glaze on chicken pieces too – check out Sticky Glazed Christmas Chicken! Also, my other Christmas Ham child is Maple Glazed Ham. The maple flavour is lovely in this!
WORTHY OF YOUR LEFTOVER HAM
Ham and Potato ChowderMonte Cristo (Ham French Toast Grilled Cheese)Ham Puff Pastry BitesHam and Cheese French Toast Roll Ups – insanely good and super quick!Ham and Cheese Bread Bowls or PocketsEpic Christmas Leftovers Bread Bowl Sandwich!Also use in place of bacon in: Quiche Lorraine, Frittata, Egg Muffins
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
LIFE OF DOZER
It is that time of the year when we strip Dozer of what little dignity he has remaining for the amusement of myself and others at the dog park….
