Cider Baked Ham

1 x 4lb (1.8kg) gammon ham
2pt cider
1 x litre (1¾pt) carton apple juice
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
2oz (50g) butter
4oz (100g) light brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp (5g) dry mustard
½ tsp (2.5g) ground cloves
½ tsp (2.5g) ground cinnamon
a few cloves

1. Preheat the oven to 220C or 425F or Gas mark 7.

2. Soak the ham overnight in cold water. Drain and put the ham into a large saucepan with the cider and apple juice and top up with cold water until you just cover it.

3. Add the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and then bring up to the boil. Now skim the surface and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for 1½ hours.

4. Remove the joint from the pan, peel off the skin and mark the fat into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Reserve the stock for the sauce and for later if you want to make soup!

5. Stand the gammon in a roasting tin. Mix the butter with the sugar, mustard and ground spices to a paste. Spread this over the fat. Press a clove into the middle of each diamond.

6. Roast in the oven for about 15 to 30 minutes, or until the fat is crisp and golden.