Ali Irvine

Serving size: Serves 10 or more
Cooking time: More than 2 hours

Ginger beer & mustard-glazed ham

INGREDIENTS

3.75L ginger beer
3 onions, quartered
24 black peppercorns
4 star anise
8kg pre-cured ham on the bone
1⁄3 cup wholegrain mustard
2 1/2 tbsp honey
2 1/2 tbsp treacle
Bread rolls, to serve
Extra mustard (we used wholegrain, English and Dijon), to serve

Equipment: Sharp knife; large saucepan; cup; large, high-sided roasting dish; foil; small saucepan; spoon; 2 pairs of large tongs; pastry brush

METHOD

Preheat oven to 150C (130C fan). Pour ginger beer into large saucepan over high heat. Add onion, peppercorns and star anise. Bring to boil. Remove 1 1/4 cups of liquid and set aside.

Remove rind from ham, leaving fat. Score ham surface with knife.

Place ham fat-side down in roasting dish. Pour over liquid, onions and star anise. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hr and 15 mins.

Make glaze Pour reserved 1 1/4 cups of cooking liquid into small saucepan. Add mustard, treacle and honey. Stir well to combine. Place saucepan over high heat, bring mixture to boil and cook for 10 mins, until mix is reduced by half and thickened slightly.

Remove ham from oven with tongs and increase temperature to 180C (160C fan). Brush ham with glaze. Return to oven for further 1 hr and 15 mins, brushing with more glaze every 15 mins until bronzed and golden.

Serve hot or at room temperature with extra mustards and bread rolls.

Serves 20.

Wine match:Bridgewater Mill Shiraz 2010 (Adelaide Hills, SA), $23.47.
A plummy, savoury red to accompany the ham.