Mark’s Sticky Cola Ham
My boyfriend Mark made this once for Christmas many years ago and it went down so well with family that he now has no other choice but to make it each year! With a sweet and sticky five spice miso glaze coating that juicy, tenderised ham (thanks to the cola), don’t be surprised if it becomes a new Christmas tradition in your house too
Credited to: Becky Excell
Kcal:
Difficulty: More of a challenge
Serves 10
15 mins prep
180 mins cooking time
Ingredients
For the ham
- 1 smoked or unsmoked boneless gammon joint (1.8–2.2kg in weight)
- 1.75 litres gluten free cola *
- 2 large carrots, chopped into 2cm chunks
- 1 small leek or onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 tbsp gluten free soy sauce *
- 500–750ml gluten free ham stock *
For the glaze
- 100ml maple syrup or honey
- 50ml black treacle
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp gluten free red miso paste
- 2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Notes: * Check Coeliac UK's Food and Drink Information for suitable products
Method
- Place the gammon in a large flameproof, ovenproof pot that has a lid, then add the cola. Add the carrots, leek or onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, soy sauce and enough stock to almost cover the gammon joint completely – this will vary depending on how wide your pot is
- Pop the lid on, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat down to low and simmer for 2 hours
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C /Gas Mark 4 and mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a jug
- Drain and discard the liquid and boiled vegetables. Place the gammon in a foil-lined roasting tray. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice off and discard the top layer of skin and a little of the fat, leaving only a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife, creating a criss cross pattern on the top
- Spoon or brush a third of the glaze onto the ham, ensuring generous, even coverage. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove and spoon/brush on another third of the glaze, before returning to the oven for another 20 minutes. Remove and spoon/brush on the remaining glaze and return to the oven for a final 15 minutes
- Allow to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Hints and tips:
Some cheaper brands of cola actually aren’t gluten free because they contain barley, so make sure you check the ingredients of yours before using this recipe.
Once cooled, you can slice and freeze the ham in an airtight container for up to 3 months
