INGREDIENTS
| Whole leg or shoulder ham (about 5 kg), skin removed |
| 6 x pieces blade mace |
| 2 x 750 ml of your favourite dry cider |
| 220 g (1 cup) brown sugar |
| 2 oranges, 1 juiced, 1 thickly sliced |
| ½ tsp mustard powder |
METHOD
1. Place ham in a large pan and add 1 bottle of cider and enough water to cover the ham (don’t worry if hock isn’t submerged). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove ham and discard the liquid. (Alternatively, if you have the time and energy, reduce it down and use it, along with the pan juices, to baste the ham as it cooks).
3. Preheat oven to 160°C. Pour remaining bottle of cider into a saucepan, add blade mace, sugar and orange juice, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid reduces by one-third, then add mustard powder. Place ham in a roasting pan and pour over cider mixture. Layer orange slices over the top.
4. Cover ham with foil and bake, basting regularly with pan juices and removing foil halfway, for 2 hours or until ham has warmed through and liquid is starting to thicken.
5.Transfer ham to a plate and cover to keep warm. Place roasting pan over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid is thickened. Strain, then spoon sauce over hot ham and serve as part of the Christmas spread with warm potato salad and a glass of something good.
