Recipe: Quince Glazed Ham

Quince Glazed Ham

8 kg cooked leg of ham
whole cloves to decorate
2 cups water
8 small red apples

QUINCE GLAZE
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup quince jelly

Preheat the oven to moderate 180C. Cut through the ham rind about 10cm from the shank end of the leg in a decorative pattern. To remove the rind, run thumb around the edge of the rind, just under the skin. Start pulling the rind from the widest edge of ham and continue to pull the rind carefully away from the fat up to the decorative pattern. Remove the rind completely. (Reserved rind can be used to cover the cut surface of the ham to keep it moist during storage). Using a sharp knife, score across the fat at about 3cm intervals cutting just through the surface of the top fat. Do not cut too deeply or the fat will spread apart during cooking. Score in opposite direction to form diamond pattern. Decorate with cloves.

QUINCE GLAZE:
Combine the honey and jelly in a small pan, stir over a low heat until combined.

Place the ham on a wire rack in a large baking dish; pour water into the dish. Brush the ham well with the Quince Glaze. Cover the shank end with foil. Place the apples in a small oiled baking dish, brush with a little of the glaze. Bake ham and apples in a moderate oven for about 1 hour or until the apples are tender, then bake the ham for a further 20 minutes or until browned all over, brushing occasionally with the glaze during cooking.

Source: Australian Woman's Weekly December 2001 Issue