How to Cook Christmas Ham: A Simple Guide to Perfect Roast Ham

Standing in front of your kitchen counter with a large ham and a festive deadline can feel daunting. You know it's meant to be the centrepiece of Christmas dinner, but where do you actually start? The good news is that cooking a Christmas ham is more straightforward than you might think.

With a bit of preparation and the right techniques, you'll have a beautifully glazed, tender ham that'll have everyone coming back for seconds (and thirds). Let's walk through the recipe and steps together.

Ingredients

For the ham:

● 1 boneless or bone-in ham (3-5kg, depending on how many you're feeding)

● Water (for boiling)

● 1 onion, halved

● 2 bay leaves

● 6-8 peppercorns

● Whole cloves (for studding)

For the glaze (choose one):

Honey Mustard Glaze:

● 4 tbsp honey

● 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

● 2 tbsp brown sugar

● 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Brown Sugar and Clove Glaze:

● 150g brown sugar

● 3 tbsp orange juice

● 1 tsp ground cinnamon

● ½ tsp ground cloves

Step 1: Choosing the Right Ham for Christmas

Your first decision is whether to go bone-in or boneless. Think of it like choosing between convenience and flavour intensity.

Bone-in ham gives you that classic presentation and deeper flavour—the bone adds richness as it cooks. It's brilliant if you want leftovers for sandwiches and soups, though it takes up more oven space and can be trickier to carve.

Boneless ham is your go-to choice if you're short on time or oven real estate. It's easier to slice uniformly and often cooks a bit faster. The trade-off: you'll miss out on some of the depth from bone-in.

For most families feeding 6-10 people, a 3-4kg ham works perfectly. Lidl's selection offers quality options at prices that won't eat into your Christmas budget, leaving more for presents (or cheese).

Step 2: Preparing the Ham Before Cooking

Before your ham goes anywhere near heat, give it some attention:

Soaking (if needed): Many hams come pre-soaked, but check the packaging. If yours seems particularly salty or is labelled as needing soaking, submerge it in cold water for 12-24 hours, changing the water a few times. This prevents your finished ham from tasting like you've licked a salt lick.

Trimming: Remove the packaging and pat the ham dry. You'll likely see a layer of fat on top. Leave about 5mm—this keeps the meat moist and becomes deliciously caramelised during roasting. Trim any excess.

Scoring: Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern (cuts about 2cm apart, roughly 5mm deep). This helps the glaze penetrate and creates those gorgeous crispy edges.

Step 3: Cooking Your Christmas Ham

You can choose between two main routes here, and both work beautifully. The boiling-then-roasting method is traditional and gives you incredibly tender meat. The oven-only method is simpler and saves a step. Pick what suits your kitchen setup and confidence level.

Method 1: How to Boil a Christmas Ham

Boiling might sound old-fashioned, but there's a reason grandmothers swear by it. The gentle simmering keeps the ham moist and allows aromatics to infuse the meat.

Here's how:

1. Place your ham in a large stockpot. Add the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns, then cover with cold water.

2. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. You're looking for lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil.

3. Calculate cooking time: allow 20 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 20 minutes. So a 3kg ham needs roughly 2 hours 20 minutes.

4. Once done, remove the ham and let it rest for 15 minutes. Peel away the skin (it should come off easily), leaving that layer of fat behind.

5. Now you're ready for glazing and the final roast.

Method 2: How to Cook Christmas Ham in the Oven

This method skips the boiling entirely. It's perfect if you're short on space or prefer a simpler approach.

Here's the process:

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/gas mark 3).

2. Place the ham in a large roasting tin. Pour about 500ml of water or stock into the bottom (this prevents the drippings from burning).

3. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 20 minutes per 500g. A 3kg ham takes roughly 2 hours.

4. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. You're aiming for 70°C at the thickest part.

5. Remove from the oven and let rest while you prep your glaze.

Step 4: Glazing Your Ham

This is where your ham transforms from "nice" to "absolutely stunning." The glaze adds sweetness, shine, and those sticky, caramelised bits everyone fights over.

For the honey mustard glaze: Mix honey, mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl until smooth.

For the brown sugar and clove glaze: Combine brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and ground cloves, stirring until the sugar has mostly dissolved.

Applying the glaze:

1. Increase your oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6).

2. Stud the scored diamond pattern with whole cloves (one clove per diamond intersection). This looks impressive and adds warming spice.

3. Brush half your glaze generously over the ham, making sure it gets into those scored lines.

4. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5. Brush with remaining glaze and roast another 15-20 minutes until deeply golden and sticky.

Watch it during these final minutes. The sugar can tip from caramelised to burnt faster than you'd think.

Serving Suggestions for Christmas Ham

Your glossy, golden ham deserves proper company:

Traditional pairings: Creamy mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and steamed green beans balance the ham's richness beautifully.

Sides with zing: Try a sharp apple sauce, tangy cranberry relish, or a fresh winter salad with peppery leaves. These cut through the sweetness and cleanse your palate between bites.

Make it go further: Serve with good crusty bread, a selection of mustards, and some pickles. Guests can build their own plates, and you'll have less washing up.

Leftovers: Cold ham makes legendary Boxing Day sandwiches. Layer it with cheese, pickle, and lettuce on fresh bread. You can also dice it for pasta dishes, stir it into soups, or add it to omelettes throughout the week.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Ham

Even experienced cooks slip up occasionally. Here's what to watch for:

Skipping the soak: If your ham is particularly salty and you skip soaking, you'll end up with meat that's unpleasantly briny. When in doubt, soak overnight.

Overcooking: Ham dries out faster than you'd expect. Use a meat thermometer and pull it from heat at 70°C—it'll stay juicy rather than turning into shoe leather.

Forgetting to rest: Give your ham 15-20 minutes to rest before carving. This lets the juices redistribute, meaning each slice stays moist.

Glazing too early: Apply your glaze only in the final 30-40 minutes. Any earlier and the sugars will burn before your ham finishes cooking.

Carving while hot: Wait until the ham has rested. Hot ham tears and shreds; rested ham slices beautifully.

Your Christmas Ham, Sorted

Cooking a Christmas ham isn't about perfection - it's about gathering around the table with people you love and sharing something delicious. With these straightforward techniques, you'll produce a ham that looks as good as it tastes, and you'll do it without breaking a sweat (or the bank). Lidl's ham selection gives you quality and value, so you can focus on what matters: enjoying the day.

Discover your new festive favourite and make this Christmas one to remember. Happy cooking, and here's to plates piled high.