Glazed Bone Ham / Hueso De Jamón Esmaltado Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Remove any packaging from the ham and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the ham, flat-side down, in a roasting pan large enough to catch drips.

Score and stud with cloves

Using a sharp knife, score the fat of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep, spacing cuts about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. If using whole cloves, press them into the intersections of the diamond pattern. Scatter 250 ml of water into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the ham moist and capture pan juices for the glaze.

Tent and initial bake

Cover the ham loosely with foil (shiny side in) and bake in the preheated oven until warmed through. As a guideline, heat a fully cooked ham about 10-12 minutes per 0.5 kg; for a 1 kg ham this will be about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and increase the oven temperature to 205°C (400°F) for glazing step when instructed below.

Combine glaze ingredients

While the ham is in the oven for the initial warming, combine 3 tbs brown sugar, 2 tbs light brown sugar, 3 tbs honey, 1 tbs Dijon mustard, 1 tsp whole-grain mustard, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 60 ml orange juice, 1 tbs orange zest, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, and 1 tsp soy sauce in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

Simmer and reduce

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs unsalted butter. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently so sugars dissolve and the butter melts. Allow to simmer for 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened and aromatic.

Thicken glaze

In a small bowl whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water until smooth to make a slurry. Remove the glaze from heat and slowly whisk the slurry into the hot glaze. Return to a very low heat for 30–60 seconds to activate the cornstarch; the glaze should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning (add an extra tsp honey or a pinch salt if desired). Keep warm.

Glaze the ham

When the oven has reached 205°C (400°F) and the ham has been warmed, remove the foil. Using a basting brush or spoon, liberally coat the surface of the ham with about half of the warm glaze, making sure to get glaze into the scored cuts. Arrange orange slices around or on top of the ham if using.

Caramelize the glaze

Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and roast at 205°C (400°F) for 12–15 minutes. Every 5 minutes, open the oven and baste again with remaining glaze to build up a sticky, glossy coating. Watch closely to avoid burning; sugars will caramelize quickly.

Rest and baste final time

If the glaze is not thick enough after initial caramelization, you can spoon remaining pan juices into the saucepan, simmer briefly to thicken and reapply. When the glaze is deeply caramelized and the surface is glossy, remove the ham from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest 10–15 minutes before carving so juices redistribute and the glaze sets.

Transfer the rested ham to a carving board. Spoon any extra glaze or pan juices over the ham. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and arrange orange slices around the ham. Carve thin slices across the grain and serve warm.