Jerk-Spiced Ham with Persimmon Chutney
Pair with Buchignani Carignane
Yield: 8-10
Active Time: 1.5 hours
Total Time: 24 hours (includes marinating time)
Ingredients:
Ham:
- 6 pound leg of ham
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 bouquet garni, (leek, celery, bay leaves, thyme)
Jerk Seasoning:
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5 scotch bonnet peppers, deseeded and chopped
- 4 red shallots, peeled and diced
- 1 bunch chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 12 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1/2 cup golden rum
- 1/2 cup malt vinegar
Glaze:
- 3 tablespoons marmalade
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup golden rum
Chutney:
- 1 pound firm Fuyu persimmons, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 Bartlett or Anjou pear, finely chopped
- 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
one-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1/8 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup honey
- 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
Ham
- Peel the garlic and red onions, and halve and deseed the Scotch bonnets, then place in a food processor. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
- Add the chives, sugar, rum, vinegar, all of the spices, and the salt to the food processor with the garlic and onion mixture
- Pull off and discard the bay stalks, then add the leaves to the processor. Strip in the thyme leaves and blitz until very finely chopped.
- Place the ham on a board and trim off the outer layer of skin, leaving a layer of fat about one centimeter thick behind.
- Score the fat all over in a crisscross pattern, making sure you don’t cut down into the meat itself.
- Transfer the ham to a roasting tray and cover with the marinade.
- Rub the marinade all over the meat, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350ºF and leave the ham to come up to room temperature.
- Cover the tray with tin foil and reheat the ham according to the instructions on the package.
- 40 minutes before the end of cooking time, remove the foil and add the rum, marmalade and orange juice to the tray and mix together with the pan juices.
- Brush the glaze all over the ham and return to the oven, basting with the pan juices every 5 to 10 minutes until dark & sticky.
- Once glazed and completely cooked, remove the ham from the roasting tray and transfer to a board to rest for 30 minutes before carving into thick slices.
- Pour the cooking juices into a gravy boat, skim the excess fat, and set aside as a sauce.
Chutney
- Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until chutney is thick and syrupy, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly (or make ahead and refrigerate) and serve alongside sliced ham.