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

METHOD

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.