A proper centrepiece with a sweet sticky glaze and a gentle hint of apple smoke. The Charlie keeps the heat steady so the ham stays juicy and the fat turns glossy and golden.
Ingredients
- One cooked gammon joint, about two to three kilos
- One onion halved
- Two bay leaves
- A few peppercorns
- Six tablespoons thick-cut orange marmalade
- Two tablespoons honey
- Two star anise pods
- A splash of orange juice
- A pinch of cinnamon
- Sea salt and black pepper
Charlie set up
- This dish starts with simmering the ham in a pot on your hob (see below). Once it's been simmering for 40 minutes, it's time to light the Charlie.
- Fill the fire bed with good quality lumpwood charcoal, roughly half a football's worth of charcoal set close to the back of the oven.
- Light the charcoal and let the heat build' then set it at 180°C (350°F.)
- Place the cooking rack higher up in the oven for roasting.
- Add a small handful of dry apple wood chips straight on the charcoal when the ham goes in.
Method
- Put the gammon in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the onion, bay leaves and peppercorns. On your hob in the kitchen, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about one hour for a two kilo joint, so the salt mellows and the meat stays tender.
- Lift the gammon out and let it cool enough to handle.
- Remove the skin, leaving a generous layer of fat. Score the fat in criss cross lines and season lightly.
- Warm the marmalade, honey, star anise, cinnamon and orange juice in a small pan until smooth. Lift out the star anise.
- Brush a good layer of glaze all over the fat.
- Place the ham on the higher rack in Charlie. Close the door and roast for twenty minutes.
- Take it out and brush over more glaze.
- Continue roasting for another twenty to thirty minutes, glazing again near the end until the surface is deep golden and sticky.
- For extra caramel on the fat, move the ham to the lower rack near the fire for the last five minutes.
- Rest for ten minutes before carving.
Why cook this in Charlie
The steady heat keeps the ham juicy while the fat slowly turns into a shiny sweet coat. A little apple wood gives a warm fruity aroma that suits pork perfectly. It is an easy way to make the whole house smell like Christmas.
What to serve with it
- Roasted carrots and buttery greens
- Hot rolls or crusty bread for late night ham sandwiches
- A good chutney for a sharp hit on the side