FESTIVE FARE

New Zealanders love ham, especially in the summer - great for breakfast lunch and dinner - , as ham steaks on the barbecue or even the humble bacon and egg & ham pie. Below you will find some handy tips on how to add delectably sticky tangy glazed ham to the must have festive season menu!

Ham should be stored below 4°C. Leave in the vacuum packed bag until it is required. After glazing or serving, cover loosely with tin foil* or a clean damp tea towel, or use a ham bag. If you are going to use a tea towel or a ham bag make sure you change them daily. Store in the coolest part of your refrigerator after serving. Place above raw products. Consume within two weeks of opening. *Note: Do not wrap firmly, allow room for circulation.

Pre heat oven to 160°C. Remove the skin and, if necessary, trim the fat. Weigh the ham and calculate cooking time. Allow 10 minutes per 500g. Score the surface by making diagonal cuts approximately 3mm deep. Cover with a glaze (see recipes below) and place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cook for the calculated time. Brush with the glaze during cooking.

1. Place the ham on a cutting board or ham stand. Remove a wedge at the top.

2. Cut thin slices to the bone - moving outwards from the ham hock.

3. Continue carving along the same surface area carving around the bone.

4. Remove final piece from the bone and continue to carve on the same surface.

For Semi Boneless Hams - Easy Carve Leg Ham, Champagne Leg Ham, Shoulder Ham:

• Carve an end slice off the ham to make carving easier.

• Cut the ham straight down not across.

• Even slices are best at 3-5mm thick. Once the hock bone has been reached, cut around the bone to allow maximum slices to be taken.

This tangy ham glaze makes it easy to achieve delectably sticky Christmas ham.

• 2 Tbsp English mustard • 1 Tbsp whole cloves • 2 Tbsp brown sugar • 3 Tbsp honey • 1 small bottle cider (preferably artisan)

1. Brush the scored fat on the ham with mustard, then stud with the cloves and sprinkle the sugar on top.

2. Drizzle over the honey and place in a large roasting tin. Pour around the cider and cook for 1 hour until golden, basting every 15 minutes to ensure an even glaze.

3. The lovely juices left in the pan can be used to make a gravy for the ham or added to your turkey gravy, once you’ve skimmed off any excess.

• 1 cup orange marmalade • 1 orange zested and juiced • ¼ cup Manuka Honey • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • ¼ tsp cinnamon • 1 Half Ham; cooked on the bone • whole cloves

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C an bake.

2. Place the marmalade, orange juice, zest, honey, apple cider vinegar and cinnamon in a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon easily.

3. Remove the skin from the ham leaving a 1cm of fat on the surface. Score the fat with a knife creating a diamond pattern. Baste the ham with the glaze. Place a clove in the corner of each diamond. Place into a deep dish baking tray.

4. Cook for 35–45 minutes 5. Leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Tip: Cover with aluminum foil if the glaze starts browning too quickly. Usually around half way through cooking time this is needed.