Gordon Ramsay’s honey glazed ham is a mouth-watering masterpiece.
This honey glazed ham recipe by Gordon Ramsey makes for a deliciously decadent Sunday lunch or roast ham dinner. The no-nonsense British chef shows us how to cook ham (opens in new tab) perfectly, before lovingly topping it with a sticky, sweet glaze that makes the meat really sing. Moist and tender, this ham is perfect hot or cold. Serving 8-10 people it’s a real showstopper that can be served with a number of sides. Try buttery new potatoes and coleslaw in the summer, or pair with fried eggs and chips for a proper pub grub experience. Of course, it's also great as a centrepiece of a festive spread.
Ingredients
- 3kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
- 2 bay leaves
- handful of cloves
For the honey glaze:
- 100g demerara sugar
- 50ml Madeira wine
- 25ml sherry vinegar
- 125g honey
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Put the gammon in a large saucepan and pour on enough cold water to cover. Add the carrots, leek, onion, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, topping up with more boiling water if necessary. Skim off the froth and any impurities that rise to the surface from time to time. If cooking in advance, let the ham cool in the stock overnight. Otherwise, allow it to cool a little, then remove from the pan. Strain the stock (and save for soup etc).
- To make the glaze, put the sugar, Madeira, sherry vinegar, and honey into a pan and stir over a low heat. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 3–4 minutes until you have a glossy dark syrup. Do not leave unattended, as it will easily boil over.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Lift the ham into a roasting tin. Snip and remove the strings and then cut away the skin from the ham, leaving behind an even layer of fat. Lightly score the fat all over in a criss-cross, diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Stud the centre of each diamond with a clove. Pour half of the glaze over the ham and roast for 15 minutes.
- Pour on the rest of the glaze and return to the oven for another 25–35 minutes until the ham is golden brown, basting with the pan juices frequently. It also helps to turn the pan as you baste to ensure that the ham colours evenly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Watch how to make Gordon Ramsay's honey glazed ham
Top tips for making Gordon Ramsay's honey glazed ham:
Gordon says: “Any leftover ham can go into a variety of dishes. And please don’t throw away the ham stock – it is great for soups, stews, risottos and sauces, so freeze it in batches.”
Do you put the glaze on ham before cooking?
No, the glaze should be applied 25-35 minutes before the end of the cooking time. It has a high sugar content and if you leave it on longer it can blacken and singe to much. It should be dark and glossy, not burnt.
Why is ham stock special?
Because hams tend to only be cooked for special occasions, the rich, salty, fresh stock is a rare treasure, and absolutely brilliant for making soups with. You can replicate the flavour with stock cubes, and it's great to get extra meals out of what would otherwise be thrown away. Save some scraps of the ham as well and combine it with cheap, filling vegetables or pulses for a very low cost but delicious meal. Potatoes, peas or lentils are all great options.
- Cranberry-glazed Roast Ham (opens in new tab)
- All of our Ham recipes (opens in new tab)
- Maple Roast Gammon (opens in new tab)
Gordon Ramsay is a celebrity multi-Michelin starred chef. Born who in Scotland, he has restaurants all over the world including the UK, France, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States. He’s a proud father-of-five (opens in new tab) and many of his recipes are particularly suited to if you’re entertaining for your family or a group of friends. He trained with some of the world’s most renowned chefs including Albert Roux, Marco Pierre White and Guy Savoy and opened his first restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in 1998.
-
Gordon Ramsay's roast potatoes
Gordon Ramsay's roast potatoes are crisp and fluffy but with an extra little kick from chilli and turmeric
By Gordon Ramsay • Published
-
Gordon Ramsay's roast beef fillet
Gordon Ramsay's roast beef fillet is a delicious, succulent recipe that is easy to make and can be on the table in only 50 mins
By Gordon Ramsay • Published
-
Gordon Ramsay's chilli beef lettuce wraps
Gordon Ramsay's chilli beef lettuce wraps are such a tasty little snack or starter - spicy beef wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves and topped with a fragrance sauce.
By Gordon Ramsay • Published
-
Munchies skillet cookie
A gooey, delicious cookie baked in a skillet. A great dessert for sharing with loved ones...
By Jess Meyer • Published
-
Mozzarella and tomato ‘bruschetta’ salad
A filling salad that doesn't shy away from flavour. Perfect as a hearty lunch or light dinner...
By Jess Meyer • Published
-
Coq au vin pie
A warming pie packed with tender chunks of chicken, succulent bacon and a rich red wine gravy...
By Rose Fooks • Published
-
Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas: Recipes, guest stars and where to watch
BBC viewers can enjoy a slice of Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas in December, with the British chef sharing recipes, tips and tricks to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner.
By Emily Stedman • Published
-
Royal Family's Christmas dinner menu at Windsor Castle confuses fans
Royal fans have been left baffled by the Christmas dinner menu's unfamiliar language
By Emma Dooney • Published
-
Why Prince Louis will eat Christmas dinner in a 'different room' away from Kate and William
Little Prince Louis will eat his Christmas lunch in a 'different room' to his parents
By Caitlin Elliott • Published