Glazed Ham

Among the staples at the Christmas Day dinner table, ham must rank among the top dishes.

Jamaicans' love affair with the protein is long chronicled, and, for some, it's the only time of year they indulge.

Here's a simple recipe for the dish.

INGREDIENTS

* 4 kg (8.5 lb) ham, shoulder cut

* Whole cloves

* Sliced pineapple

* Maraschino cherries

METHOD

1. Place ham (with mesh cloth still on) in a large pot. Cover with water, add 1 tsp (5 ml) of whole cloves and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer on low for 2 hours.

2. Remove mesh cloth from ham and trim fat.

Score fat in a diamond pattern and stud with cloves

3. Dress ham with pineapple slices. Hold pineapple slices in place with 1 or 2 Maraschino cherries and toothpicks placed in the centre of each pineapple slice.

4. Bake ham in a 350 F (180degC) oven for 15 minutes while preparing the glaze

5. Remove ham from oven and glaze with half the sauce. Place back in oven for 10 minutes. Remove ham and glaze with remaining sauce and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes to set the glaze.

Ingredients for glaze

* 1 1/2 cups (250 ml) guava, mango or strawberry jam

* 1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice

* 1/2 cup (125 ml) pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)

* 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

* 1 tsp (5 ml) mustard

* 1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground cloves

METHOD

1. In saucepan, stir together all ingredients

2. Simmer and stir sauce uncovered for about 15 minutes until it thickens to a syrup

3. Use sauce to glaze ham as instructed above

4. Serves a large group (10 to 15 people)

Cooking tips

1. There are three different cuts of ham available at most supermarkets: shank, butt and shoulder. Shank and butt cuts are usually fully baked and glazed in the oven.

2. The shoulder cut is best prepared by first boiling it then finishing it in the oven which is the method for the above recipe. Some find it juicier (and, of course, you'll have a lovely bone to make soup with afterwards!) but the other cuts and method will also make a beautiful ham.

3. If you choose to not go with a shoulder cut, then simply preheat the oven at 300 degrees F, then place ham skin side up on a baking tray and bake for 90 minutes. When done, remove from oven and score the ham, placing cloves in the grooves.

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