Gochujang Honey Glazed Ham

Gochujang Honey Glazed Ham

By Marion Grasby

If you’re looking to bring a little wow-factor to your Christmas table this year, this gochujang honey glazed ham is the showstopper.

It’s that perfect mix of sticky, spicy, sweet and savoury - and gloriously glossy to boot - everything a festive centrepiece should be.

The gochujang adds a deep, warming spice while the honey brings a hit of caramelised sweetness and shine. Together, they take a classic ham and turn it into something truly next-level.

Trust me… this is the one everyone will be talking about.

INGREDIENTS

1 half bone-in leg ham (around 2kg), skin on
whole cloves (approx. 20g)
½ cup gochujang (Korean red chilli paste)
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp mirin (or use dry sherry)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp neutral oil
1½ cups water or stock (for the roasting pan)

To serve: toasted sesame seeds,
sliced spring onion,
lime wedges

1. Prepare the Ham

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced).
Using a small sharp knife, gently remove the skin from the ham, leaving a thin layer of fat attached. Score the fat in a diagonal criss-cross pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Stud the ham fat with cloves.

Prepare a large roasting tray by lining it with foil. Pour 2 cups of water onto the foil (this helps to keep the ham moist and prevents the glaze from burning). Place a roasting rack on top. And then rest your ham on the rack.

2. Make the Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until smooth and glossy. Reserve about ½ cup of the glaze for basting toward the end of cooking.

3. Roast and Glaze

Brush the ham generously with the gochujang glaze, then place in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, brushing with more glaze every 20 minutes.

After 1 hour, increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Continue roasting for another 45–60 minutes, basting often with the reserved glaze until the ham is deeply caramelised and sticky.

4. Rest and Serve

Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Spoon over any pan juices and scatter with sesame seeds and spring onion.

Serve with lime wedges for brightness.