• 2 kg uncooked boneless smoked gammon
• 5 cloves (plus extra to stud)
• 10 peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 onions, quartered

Choose ONE of these glazes:

PORT AND POMEGRANATE

• ¼ cup (60ml) port wine
• ¼ cup (60ml) pomegranate juice (plus pomegranate rubies for serving)
• 1⁄3 cup (80ml) dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar

PRESERVED GINGER

• ¼ cup (60ml) preserved ginger chunks, finely chopped
• ½ cup (125ml) preserved ginger syrup
• 1 sprig of rosemary

MARMALADE AND WHISKY

• ½ cup (125ml) marmalade
• ¼ cup (60ml) whisky
• ¼ cup (60ml) white balsamic vinegar

Place the gammon in a large pot with the spices and vegetables, and cover with enough cold water (or another liquid of your choice) to submerge the gammon.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 80 minutes (20 minutes per 500g), or until the meat is tender and cooked through – when the tip of a sharp knife slides into the meat easily, without resistance.

Remove from heat and allow gammon to cool in cooking liquid. (It will cook through in the residual heat.) Once cooled, remove gammon, place in a roasting tray and discard liquid.

Preheat oven to 200˚C.

Using a sharp knife, carefully peel the skin off the gammon, leaving a good layer of fat on the surface of the meat. Score diamond shapes into the fat. Stud each diamond with a clove in its centre.

Heat the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan over medium heat. (For the port and pomegranate glaze, boil the mixture until reduced by half and it has a syrupy consistency.)

Brush gammon with glaze and roast for 20-30 minutes, basting with more glaze from time to time until dark golden and caramelised.

Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

WHY NOT…

… replace the water with 2 litres of ginger beer or ginger ale. (This

goes particularly well with the preserved ginger glaze and the marmalade and whisky glaze.)

… use 2 litres of Cherry Coke instead of water, and add 2 star anise (delicious with any glaze).

… save some leftovers to make a quiche or for gourmet toasted sandwiches