Gammon with Black Treacle

1 Gammon, about 2kg (1.6lb)
Black Treacle
1/2 pint Cider
English mustard, or Dijon mustard
25gm Black Peppercorns crushed
20 or so whole cloves
Demerera Sugar

Soak the gammon in plenty of cold water for 24 hours.

Take a large piece of foil twice the size of a large roasting tin. Line the tin with it letting the foil overlap. Put the gammon onto the foil and spread with black treacle.

Pour the cider over the gammon, then sprinkle with crushed peppercorns and loosely fold the foil over the top.

Put the roasting tin into the middle of the oven and cook for about 2 hours at about 180 degrees C

Open the foil and pierce the gammon with a skewer in the thickest part and if the skewer goes in easily and the juices that flow out are clear then it is done.

If the centre feels firm and the juices are pink, cook for longer.

Or you can test the meat with a meat thermometer.

Remove the foil and set aside the juices to make gravy and peel off the skin of the gammon when cool enough to handle. Score the fat diagonally with a sharp knife.

Insert a whole clove in each diamond, then stand the gammon on a new piece of foil in the roasting tin.

Spread the whole gammon with mustard, then sprinkle with demerera sugar.

Return to oven and roast until brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot, or allow to cool.

If serving cold, chill in the fridge for 12 hours or so before carving and serving.

Choose smoked or unsmoked gammon, on or off the bone, whichever appeals to you most.

Once gammon is cooked it is called ham.

Serves 8.