Honey-glazed roast gammon

Method

• step 1

  Take the gammon out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Weigh the joint and make a note of the weight. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

• step 2

  Lay two long pieces of foil crossed over one another in a roasting tin, with the excess overhanging the sides. Put the onion slices, carrots and celery in the middle of the foil and sit the gammon on top. Pour in the chicken stock. Pull up the sides of the foil, scatter over the peppercorns and enclose to make a parcel.

• step 3

  Bake in the oven for 25 mins for each 500g (so a 1.5kg joint will take 1 hr 15 mins, or a 2kg joint will take 1 hr 40 mins).

• step 4

  Mix together the glaze ingredients in a bowl. Take the gammon out of the oven and let stand for 10 mins before opening the foil – be careful of the steam escaping, as it will be hot. Turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

• step 5

  Take the gammon out the tin and pour off the cooking juices (you can use these to make a gravy base, if you like). You can leave the foil in the tin, as it will protect it from the sticky glaze later.

• step 6

  Cool the ham just enough so you can trim off the skin, leaving a good layer of fat underneath. Put the ham back in the tin, then score the fat lightly in a criss-cross pattern. Brush well with the glaze and return to the oven for 25-30 mins (brushing with the glaze again a few more times throughout) until the surface is burnished and golden. Rest for 20 mins, then carve into thick slices.