The glaze is the bit everyone remembers. It's also the easiest part. Every one of these covers a 1.5kg joint that's already been simmered, and they all go on the same way.
How to glaze any gammon
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Lift the cooked joint onto a board and slice off the skin, leaving about 5mm of fat. Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Stud each diamond with a clove if you like. Brush on half the glaze, roast for 10 minutes, brush on the rest and roast for 10 more.
Honey and mustard
3 tbsp runny honey, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp English mustard. The classic, and the safest bet if you're feeding fussy people.
Marmalade
3 tbsp thick-cut marmalade, warmed with 1 tbsp English mustard. It's bitter-sweet, and it's especially good with smoked gammon.
Maple and black pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, a good grind of black pepper. Lighter and less sweet than it sounds.
Brown sugar and clove
4 tbsp dark muscovado sugar, mixed to a paste with 1 tbsp English mustard and a splash of the cooking liquid. Stud the joint with plenty of cloves. This is the old-fashioned Christmas one.
Cola
300ml of the cola from cooking gammon in cola, boiled down to a syrup, with 2 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp mustard stirred in.
Cranberry and orange
3 tbsp cranberry sauce, the zest of an orange and 1 tbsp of its juice, warmed together until smooth. A good way to use up the jar left from Christmas lunch.
Straight answers
Do you glaze gammon before or after boiling?
After. Simmer it first, then glaze it and roast it. A glaze put on before simmering just washes off in the water.
Why does my glaze slide off?
Usually because it's too thin or the fat is wet. Pat the fat dry, score it well and use a thick glaze. Two thin coats stick better than one thick one.
Can I glaze gammon without the oven?
You can use a hot grill or a cook's blowtorch, but watch it closely. The oven is the most even.
How much glaze do I need?
About 4 tablespoons for a 1.5kg joint. Double it for anything over 3kg.
Updated 10 November 2026