The holiday season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a deliciously glazed Christmas ham?
If you’re looking for a recipe that will impress your guests and leave them wanting more, look no further than this step-by-step guide on how to cook the perfect Christmas ham.
With tips and tricks from a seasoned chef, you’ll be able to create a succulent and flavorful ham that will be the star of your holiday feast.
So grab your apron and get ready to impress with this Gordon Ramsay-inspired recipe!
How To Cook Christmas Ham Gordon Ramsay?
To start, you’ll need a large saucepan and a gammon (or ham) that’s big enough to feed your guests. Place the gammon in the saucepan and pour enough cold water to cover it. Add roughly chopped carrots, onions, leeks, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves to the pot.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for three hours. Make sure to skim off any froth or impurities that rise to the surface from time to time. If you’re cooking in advance, let the ham cool in the stock overnight. Otherwise, let it cool a little before removing it from the pan.
Next, make the glaze by combining sugar, Madeira, sherry vinegar, and honey in a pan over low heat. Stir until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until you have a glossy dark syrup. Be sure to keep an eye on it as it can easily boil over.
Preheat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Lift the ham onto a board and remove any strings or packaging. Cut away the skin from the ham, leaving behind an even layer of fat. Lightly score the fat all over in a criss-cross diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Stud each diamond with a clove.
Place the ham into a roasting tin and pour half of the glaze over the surface. Roast for 15 minutes before pouring on the rest of the glaze and returning it to the oven for another 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Baste with pan juices frequently and turn the pan as you baste to ensure even coloring.
Finally, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving with your favorite accompaniments.
Ingredients And Equipment Needed
To make Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas ham, you’ll need the following ingredients:
– 3kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint
– 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
– 1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
– 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
– 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
– 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
– 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
– 2 bay leaves
– Handful of cloves
For the honey glaze:
– 100g demerara sugar
– 50ml Madeira wine
– 25ml sherry vinegar
– 125g honey
In addition to these ingredients, you will need a large saucepan, a roasting tin, and some kitchen twine. You may also want to have a board and a sharp knife for carving the ham.
It’s important to note that you can adjust some of the ingredients to your liking. For example, if you don’t have sherry vinegar, you could use red wine vinegar instead. You could also replace the leeks with celery sticks or use a different type of vinegar altogether.
Preparing The Ham
To prepare the ham for cooking, start by removing any packaging or strings. Then, using a sharp knife, cut away the skin from the ham, leaving a thin layer of fat behind. Be sure to score the fat lightly in a criss-cross diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. This will help the glaze penetrate and give the ham a beautiful golden brown color.
After scoring the fat, stud each diamond with a clove for added flavor. Then, place the ham into a roasting tin and pour half of the glaze over the surface. Roast for 15 minutes before pouring on the rest of the glaze and returning it to the oven for another 25-35 minutes until golden brown.
While cooking, baste with pan juices frequently and turn the pan as you baste to ensure even coloring. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving with your favorite accompaniments.
Making The Glaze
Making the glaze for your Christmas ham is crucial to achieving a delicious and glossy finish. To start, combine sugar, Madeira, sherry vinegar, and honey in a pan over low heat. Stir the mixture until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until it becomes a glossy dark syrup.
It’s important to keep an eye on the glaze as it can easily boil over. Once the glaze is ready, you can pour half of it over the surface of your ham before roasting it in the oven. After 15 minutes, pour on the rest of the glaze and return it to the oven for another 25-35 minutes until it’s golden brown.
As your ham roasts, be sure to baste it frequently with pan juices and turn the pan to ensure even coloring. Once your ham is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving with your favorite accompaniments.
The glaze will add a sweet and tangy flavor to your ham and give it a beautiful glossy finish. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients to create your own unique glaze recipe.
Glazing And Baking The Ham
After boiling the ham and making the glaze, it’s time to glaze and bake the ham. Preheat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5 and lift the ham onto a board. Remove any strings or packaging and cut away the skin from the ham, leaving behind an even layer of fat. Lightly score the fat all over in a criss-cross diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Stud each diamond with a clove.
Place the ham into a roasting tin and pour half of the glaze over the surface. Roast for 15 minutes before pouring on the rest of the glaze and returning it to the oven for another 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Baste with pan juices frequently and turn the pan as you baste to ensure even coloring.
It’s important to keep an eye on the ham while it’s in the oven as it can easily burn or become too dry if left unattended. Basting with pan juices will help keep it moist and flavorful.
Once done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving with your favorite accompaniments. This step is crucial as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful ham.
Resting And Serving The Ham
After removing the ham from the oven, it’s important to let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful ham. You can cover it with foil to keep it warm during this time.
Once the ham has rested, it’s time to carve and serve. Use a sharp knife to slice the ham into even pieces, cutting against the grain for maximum tenderness. Serve with your favorite sides such as roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad.
Don’t forget to save any leftover ham for future meals. It can be used in a variety of dishes such as pea and ham soup, spaghetti carbonara, or chopped into a hearty pie filling. And don’t throw away the ham stock – it’s great for soups, stews, risottos, and sauces. Freeze it in convenient batches for later use.
Tips And Tricks From Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay is known for his expertise in the kitchen, and he has a few tips and tricks to help you make the perfect Christmas ham. First and foremost, he recommends using high-quality ingredients, such as a good quality gammon or ham. He also suggests adding aromatic vegetables and spices to the cooking water to infuse the meat with flavor.
When it comes to making the glaze, Ramsay advises keeping a close eye on it to prevent it from boiling over. He also suggests scoring the fat in a criss-cross pattern and studding it with cloves for added flavor and visual appeal. And don’t forget to baste the ham frequently with pan juices to ensure even coloring.
Lastly, Ramsay recommends letting the ham rest for 15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute and create a more tender and flavorful dish. With these tips and tricks from Gordon Ramsay, your Christmas ham is sure to be a hit with your guests.