Home
Premium
Peppercorn & honey ham

One carved peppercorn & honey ham

Peppercorn & honey ham

Name: Peppercorn & honey ham
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2kg tied, smoked gammon joint; 2 onions unpeeled, halved; 2 bay leaves; 2 thyme sprigs; 2 rosemary sprigs; 2 celery sticks roughly chopped; 2 carrots roughly chopped; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns; ½ tbsp black peppercorns; ½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns; 1 tsp pink peppercorns; 100ml runny honey

Helena Busiakiewicz

Save recipe

Serves 10 - 12

More effort

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 2 hrs and 30 mins

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.6 ratingsRate

loading...

Use three different types of peppercorns in this festive ham: black peppercorns for warmth, Sichuan for citrussy notes and pink for floral, sweet flavours

Gluten-free

Skip to ingredients

Alternatives

Complete the dish

Showing items 1 to 3 of 3

Christmas ceviche with guacamole

A star rating of 5 out of 5.1 rating

Christmas leftovers sandwich

A star rating of 0 out of 5.0 ratings

Christmas red cabbage

A star rating of 4 out of 5.41 ratings

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

2kg tied, smoked gammon joint
2 onions

unpeeled, halved
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
2 celery sticks

roughly chopped
2 carrots

roughly chopped
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

For the glaze

½ tbsp black peppercorns
½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp pink peppercorns
100ml runny honey

Keep the screen awake with cook mode on the Good Food app.

Nutrition: Per serving (12)

kcal274
fat13g
saturates5g
carbs9g
sugars9g
fibre0g
protein30g
salt3.44g

Method

step 1

Put the gammon and all the other ingredients, except the ones you’re using for the glaze, in your largest, deepest pot. Cover completely with cold water, bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Put the lid on, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook for 1 hr. Turn off the heat and leave in the liquid for 40 mins with the lid on.
step 2

Remove the gammon from the stock and set aside to cool a little (keep the stock and freeze it to use as a base for soup). While the gammon cools, toast all the peppercorns in a small saucepan on medium heat. Once smelling peppery, grind using a pestle and mortar to a coarse consistency. You don’t want huge chunks of peppercorn. Mix with the honey in a small bowl.
step 3

Line a roasting tin with foil that fits the gammon comfortably. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Once the ham has cooled slightly, peel back and discard the skin, then score the thick layer of fat. Put the gammon in the lined roasting tin, then pour on half of the honey glaze, using a pastry brush to get it into all the nooks and crannies. Roast for 25 mins, glazing halfway through. Reserve a little glaze to brush over at the end.

Recipe tip

The cooked, cooled and sliced gammon will keep in an airtight container for five days, perfect for leftover sandwiches.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, Christmas 2025

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?1 star out of 52 stars out of 53 stars out of 54 stars out of 55 stars out of 5

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

CommentQuestionTip

Overall rating

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.6 ratings

Get 3 months of Good Food All Access

Get 3 months of Good Food All Access for just £6. Find triple-tested recipes that take the stress out of deciding what to cook, spend less time planning, and more time enjoying the season.

Subscribe now