Christmas Ham

Ingredients
Around 1kg of smoked boneless gammon
Onions
Leek
Celery
Carrots
A bay leaf
Black pepper
A sprig of thyme
3 tbsp of dry mustard powder
200g of dark muscovado sugar

Cover the smoked gammon with cold water and add your favourite aromatics. Onions, leeks, celery, carrots, black pepper, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf was used in this case.

After two hours of simmering, remove the meat and allow it to cool. The remaining stock makes great soup.

Carefully remove the rind. It should come away easily but be ready to help it along with a sharp knife.

Cut a cris-cross pattern into the fat, trying to avoid going through to the meat. Stud with a few cloves. Though they're decorative they're really pungent so go easy.

Mix three tablespoons of dry mustard powder with 200g of dark muscovado sugar and let down to a gritty paste with some hot water.

Paint the treacly mess onto the ham, working it well into the cuts on the surface. Foil line your oven dish if you don't want it glued up with epoxy - strength toffee then bang the whole lot in a very hot oven for half an hour. Basting occasionally. Watch for burning.

Allow to cool before slicing and serve with homemade piccalilli.

Credits: How to cook a Christmas ham