1. Wash the ham, in a few changes of water. Fill a large saucepan with clean water and put the ham in the pan. Keep the netting on the ham to keep its shape.
2. Boil until you see white froth or scum on the top of water. Throw this water out, scraping the white froth off the ham, refill the saucepan with cold water and return the ham. If you are using gas, be careful the water doesn't spill out and extinguish the gas (keep a check on it).
3. Cook for 25 minutes per 450g with the lid on, on a low heat.
4. When the ham is cooked, leave it to cool slightly. Then lift it out carefully, drain and pat dry. Now remove the outer layer of fat, leaving a thin layer behind. Score the fat. Stud with cloves, and brush with a mixture of mustard and honey.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 200º C/360º F/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. If you don't want the dripping syrup to burn, put the ham on a roasting grid.
You can use baked ham just on its own with a salad, with boiled new potatoes, or in between two thick wedges of buttered Irish soda bread (see the recipe on http://www.greatfood.ie/item_display.asp?cde=2&id=446).
Anne Kennedy is managing editor of Ireland's most popular food website http://www.greatfood.ie.
Source: www.articlesphere.com
