Christmas in New Zealand is a time of celebration, family, and feasting, and at the heart of many Kiwi tables is a beautifully glazed ham. A well-prepared glaze transforms the humble ham into the star of the meal, with its glossy finish, caramelised crust, and rich, layered flavours. This guide will walk you through the steps to create a glazed ham that will leave your guests raving.
What Makes a Great Glaze?
The key to a memorable ham glaze is balance. A good glaze has:
Sweetness: Think brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or fruity jams like apricot or marmalade.
Acidity: Ingredients like apple cider vinegar, orange juice, or pineapple juice cut through the sweetness and enhance the ham's natural saltiness.
Spices: Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and smoked paprika add warmth and depth.
Optional Additions: Whisky, mustard, soy sauce, or fresh herbs like thyme or bay leaves can elevate your glaze to new heights.
Pro Tip: Aim for about 1½ cups of glaze for an average-sized ham. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Choosing Bone-In or Boneless Ham
Whether to use bone-in or boneless ham is a personal choice:
Bone-In Ham: Known for its flavour and juiciness, it’s perfect if you’re after a traditional, full-flavoured option. However, it can be trickier to carve.
Boneless Ham: Easier to cook, slice, and serve, boneless ham is a hassle-free alternative that works well for those who prioritise convenience.
Scoring the Ham
Scoring a ham doesn’t just look impressive; it’s also practical. It allows the fat of the cut to render more easily and creates pathways for the glaze to seep into the meat, ensuring every bite is packed with flavour.
Remove the Skin: Gently peel back the skin, leaving the layer of fat intact. Save the skin to cover leftovers later.
Score the Fat: Using a sharp knife, cut shallow lines into the fat to create a diamond or crisscross pattern. Avoid cutting too deeply into the meat.
Cloves (Optional): While you can stud the intersections of the diamond pattern with whole cloves for added aroma, I prefer not to—who likes picking cloves out of their meal or biting into one?
Preparing and Applying the Glaze
Once your glaze is ready and your ham is scored, it’s time to apply the magic.
Warm the Glaze: To ensure the sugar is fully dissolved and all the ingredients are well combined, warm the glaze gently in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and syrupy. This step is key to achieving an even, glossy finish.
Preheat the Oven: Since most New Zealand hams are pre-cooked, the goal is to gently heat the ham and develop a beautifully caramelised glaze without overcooking. Preheat your oven to 160°C.
Set Up the Pan: Use a heavy roasting pan or two stacked disposable foil pans to support the ham’s weight. Consider using a rack to keep the ham elevated above the juices.
First Layer: Place the ham in the pan with about a cup of water to prevent drying. Using a pastry brush, apply a generous layer of the warmed glaze, making sure to coat all the scored areas. Let the glaze seep into the cuts for maximum flavour.
Baking and Basting
The baking process is where your glaze turns into a glossy, caramelised crust.
Bake and Baste: Bake the ham for 1–1½ hours, depending on its size. Every 15–20 minutes, remove it from the oven and brush on another layer of glaze. Use your pastry brush to get into the cuts made by the scoring. The repeated layering creates a rich, sticky crust.
Final Caramelisation: For the last 15–20 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 200°C to achieve a deeply golden finish. Keep a close eye to avoid burning—sugars in the glaze can caramelise quickly.
Check the Temperature: If using an oven-safe digital thermometer, ensure the internal temperature reaches about 60–70°C for a warm and perfectly cooked ham.
Serving Your Masterpiece
After baking, let your ham rest for about 20–30 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring tender, flavourful slices.
Carving Tips:
Use a sharp chef’s knife for clean slices, cutting only as much as needed for the meal.
Store leftovers in the fridge wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, covering the exposed meat with the saved skin to keep it moist.
Ready to Glaze?
Here's some of our favourite recipes to try
Balsamic Fusion Ham Glaze
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Avohaven Balsamic Fusion Avocado Vinaigrette
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 Teaspoon whole grain mustard
Mix the ingredients over medium heat until they blend and begin to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly then brush over your ham.
Traditional Christmas Ham Glaze
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
Mix the ingredients over medium heat until they blend and begin to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly then brush over your ham.
Cola Glaze
500ml of Coke Cola
200gms Brown Sugar
Combine the ingredients over medium heat until the ingredients have come together then boil for about 15 minutes until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly.
Spice Peach Ham Glaze
6 ripe peaches - skins removed and de-stoned
1 cup (250ml) Pimms
1/2 cup (125g) brown sugar
2 tbs caster sugar
2 cinnamon quills
1 tsp ground ginger
Dice the peach flesh into small, evenly sized pieces. Combine the peach pieces, 1 cup (250ml) of water, Pimms, sugars, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sugars dissolve. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes until the peach breaks down and the mixture thickens. Remove and discard the cinnamon. Allow to cool slightly for 15 minutes before using it to glaze your ham.
Bourbon Pineapple Glaze
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pineapple juice (from tinned pineapple rings)
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a medium saucepan, mix together the brown sugar, pineapple juice, bourbon, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
Set the saucepan over medium heat and whisk until the sugar fully dissolves and the glaze is smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
Allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze reaches a syrupy thickness. Taste the glaze and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Generously brush the glaze over the ham, making sure it penetrates the scored areas.
Sticky Coffee Glaze
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup brewed dark coffee
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, brewed coffee, yellow mustard, ground cinnamon, black pepper, kosher salt, and ground cloves by whisking them together.
Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes smooth. Allow the mixture to reach a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Let it continue to simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze slightly thickens.
Sticky Honey Soy Glaze
1/2 cup (125ml) soy sauce
1/2 cup (90g) runny honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (you can use char siu sauce for a greater flavour)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat over low to medium heat, stirring until the honey dissolves and the mixture is thoroughly combined. Allow it to simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Diabetic-Friendly Ham Glaze
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (or a low-sugar orange juice alternative)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup or monk fruit syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional, for a touch of tang)
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat over low to medium heat, stirring until the honey dissolves and the mixture is thoroughly combined. Allow it to simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Apricot Jam Ham Glaze
1/2 cup (125ml) store-bought apricot jam
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or orange juice
1 tablespoon honey (optional, for added sweetness)
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
In a small saucepan, mix together the apricot jam, Dijon mustard, vinegar (or orange juice), honey (if using), ground ginger, and cloves. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the ingredients are thoroughly blended and the mixture becomes smooth and slightly thickened.
Traditional Honey Mustard Glaze
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or rosemary (optional, for extra flavour)
In a small saucepan, mix together Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the glaze is smooth and well blended. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes to slightly thicken.
Spicy Asian-inspired Glaze
3cm fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 green chilli, or more to taste
2 limes, zest and juice
3 tsp five spice
1 tsp salt
½ cup palm sugar, grated, or brown sugar
Star anise, for studding ham
1 bottle apple juice or cider
Coarsely chop the ginger, garlic cloves, kaffir lime leaves, and green chillies.
Add the lime zest and juice, then blend everything into a smooth paste using a food processor.
Transfer to a bowl, incorporate five spice powder, salt, and grated palm sugar (or brown sugar), and mix well. Apply the glaze to your ham. Use fresh apple juice or cider instead of a cup of water in the bottom of the pan to keep the ham moist, and baste the ham frequently during cooking.
Sweet and Tangy barbecue Glaze
1 cup golden syrup
1/4 cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
60g unsalted butter
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
In a saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the golden syrup, tomato sauce, butter, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and chili flakes until the butter melts and the mixture is well combined. Let the glaze thicken a bit, then brush it over the ham.
Happy Glazing
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