There’s no denying that a delicious, juicy Christmas ham is a beautiful sight (and smell, and flavour… A feast for the senses really!) on any Christmas table. Whilst there may well be tried and tested ham recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation, it doesn’t necessarily always have to be done the same way each year. If you think it might be time to try something new with your Christmas ham, there are so many ways to bring something a little different to this popular Christmas tradition.
In a country that celebrates the festive season in the middle of scorching summer heat, you may not have considered it, but it certainly seems to makes sense to combine the sweet flavours of a favourite summer fruit, such as mango, with the familiarity of a Christmas ham dish.
Go on, give it a go. We bet that your taste buds will definitely be dancing to the tune of this sticky mango glazed Christmas ham.
Prep: 0:15 Mins
Cook: 2:50 Hr and Mins
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Half Leg Ham (about 4.5kg)
- 2 cinnamon sticks or quills
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 very ripe yellow mangoes (about 750g total), pitted, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) rice wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar (or more)
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 15g punnet thyme, tied with kitchen string
METHOD
Step 1
Prepare a covered barbecue for indirect cooking. For a gas barbecue, heat burners under the grate side on medium-high heat; leave burners under the flat plate off. For a charcoal barbecue, build a fire on one side of charcoal grate, leaving other side of barbecue empty, and let burn just until coals are covered with white ash. Do not spread out coals.
Step 2
Line a large heavy rimmed baking tray with aluminum foil. Remove all packaging from ham. Run a sharp knife down back of ham and using your fingers, gently separate skin from fat, leaving some rind intact around shank end. Run a knife over fat to lightly score it all over.
Step 3
Place ham on tray and cover ham with foil. Set tray on the unlit side of the barbecue. Close barbecue hood and cook ham (barbecue temperature should be about 190°C) for 1 ¾ hours-2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part register 42°C.
Step 4
Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cinnamon and cloves and stir for about 3 mins or until toasted.
Step 5
Add mangoes, vinegar, sugar, and allspice and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 mins or until mangoes are very soft. Use a spoon to remove whole spices and discard. Blend mango mixture with 1/2 cup (125ml) water and 2 tsp salt until completely smooth. Season to taste with more sugar, if desired. Reserve 1 cup mango glaze for serving.
Step 6
When ham is warmed through, remove foil from ham and increase barbecue temperature slightly to reach 200°C. Using thyme as a brush, brush some glaze all over the ham. Close hood and cook ham, basting every 10 mins with glaze, for 40-50 mins or until ham is evenly caramelised and thickest part of ham registers 52°C on the meat thermometer.
Step 7
Rest ham on a carving board for 10 mins. Carve ham and serve with reserved mango glaze.
Source link: www.taste.com.au