Sticky Ginger Glazed Ham Hocks Recipes

CHRISTMAS HAM WITH STICKY GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/ conventional 180C/gas 4. Weigh the ham and calculate the cooking time at 25 minutes per 500g. Scatter the onion, ginger, thyme and cloves over the base of a large, deep roasting tin. Put the soaked ham on top and add water to 3-5cm deep. Cover the whole ham and tin with two or three layers of foil (making a tent over the ham to allow the steam to circulate), sealing the foil around the edges of the tin. Bake for 1½ hours, then reduce the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3 for the remaining 2 hours 40 minutes of the cooking time. When the ham is cooked, remove it from the oven. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• Now make the glaze. Put the sugar and 100ml/3½⁄2fl oz water in a medium pan. Heat gently until the sugar melts, add the fresh ginger and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the kumquats and cook for a few more minutes, just until they soften. Scoop out and reserve the kumquats, discard the ginger and add the stem ginger strips. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let the mixture bubble for 3-5 minutes until thick and reduced by just under half. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Line a clean roasting tin with foil and oil it. Unwrap the ham and put it in the foil-lined tin. Cut off the skin, leaving a layer of fat all over. Using a sharp knife, score the fat into a diamond criss-cross pattern. Turn up the oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7.
• Rub ground ginger over ham, then brush over all but a couple of spoonfuls of the glaze, distributing stem ginger strips. Scatter over kumquat slices, studding cloves through some to secure. Drizzle over remaining glaze. Roast for another 20 minutes or until golden and sticky and kumquats start to colour. Serve garnished with halved kumquats and sprigs of bay leaves. If serving hot, allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

SLOW-COOKER HAM WITH STICKY GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• Put the onion and 10 cloves in the base of the slow cooker then nestle in the gammon joint. Pour over the ginger beer then cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours until the gammon is tender, but still holding its shape. You can cool then chill the gammon at this stage if you prefer.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Carefully remove the skin from the gammon leaving a layer of fat behind. Score the fat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, making sure you don't cut into the meat, then stud the centre of each diamond with cloves.
• Mix the mustard and ginger preserve in a bowl, spoon or brush over the gammon then bake for 20 mins until golden and sticky. If roasting from cold you will need to add another 20 mins to the cooking time.

GINGER GLAZED HAM

Steps:

• Place the joint in a large pan over the hob, or burner, and add 7 quarts of dry ginger ale. Bring the pan to the boil then lower the heat slightly so that it keeps bubbling steadily for 4 1/2 hours.
• Towards the end of the 4 1/2 hours, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and begin the glaze.
• In a bowl, add 1 cup of chunky ginger preserves. Stir in 2 tablespoons of hot English mustard. Add 1/2 a cup of soft, dark brown sugar and sprinkle in 1/2 a teaspoon of ground cloves.
• After 4 1/2 hours, gently lift the ham out of the pan and place on a foil-lined baking tray. Carefully cut away the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. There is no need to score the surface, simply slap on the glaze and place the tray with the ham into the oven for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold.

STICKY GINGER-GLAZED HAM HOCKS

Steps:

• Put the ham hocks in a large saucepan with the star anise, peppercorns, bay and orange slices, then pour over the ginger beer. If there's not quite enough liquid to cover the hocks, top up with water until they are submerged. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat so only a few bubbles break the surface now and then. Partially cover with a lid, bring to the boil and cook for 1 hr 30 mins, topping up with water to keep the hocks submerged as needed. When ready, the meat should feel tender but should not fall away from the bone.
• Remove the ham hocks from the stock to a board using tongs and leave until cool enough to handle. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Combine the mustard, sugar, allspice, stem ginger and ginger syrup in a bowl.
• When the hocks have cooled slightly, use a sharp knife to cut away the skin, leaving a layer of fat. Put the ham hocks on a tray lined with foil and bake for 30 mins until the fat starts to crisp.
• Remove the ham hocks from the oven and brush over half of the spiced ginger glaze. Return to the oven for another 20-30 mins, then brush with more glaze every 10 mins until the ham hocks have a thick, sticky crust and the meat is tender. Serve warm or leave to go cold and eat with gherkins or slaw, bread and mustard. Will keep covered in the fridge for up to five days or frozen for three months.