Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Notching the ham
• Part 2 of 2: Glazing a ham
• Tips
• What you need

Notching a ham means the iconic cross pattern, which allows the glaze to penetrate better into a ham that is being baked. This technique exposes a juicy layer of fat, which allows the seasonings to penetrate into the rind. You need a sharp, clean chef's knife and a sturdy surface to cut the ham on.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Notching the ham

1. Prepare everything for carving the ham. First, put the raw ham on a cutting board. Make sure that it lies nicely in the middle, fits completely on it and does not slip easily while you cut. Then grab a sharp, clean chef's knife.
2. Slice the ham. Use the knife to make shallow, diagonal cuts across the width of the ham. Each kerf should be about 1 inch deep. The notches should run all the way from the top to the bottom, on both sides of the ham. Make sure there is about 1 inch between the cuts.
   • You can score the ham while it is still raw, just before you cook it or at the end of the cooking time, just before you glaze it. There is really no right or wrong time to do this.
3. Complete the diamond shape notch. Then notch the ham in the opposite direction. Make cuts of the same depth and at the same distance from each other, but at right angles to the first set of notches. Cut a network of diamond shapes across the surface of the ham.

Part 2 of 2: Glazing a ham

1. Decorate with cloves. Often small cloves are pushed into the ham for extra flavor and decoration. Push a clove into the center of each diamond shape. It is usually easiest to push the cloves into the ham where the notches intersect.
2. Making a glaze for a ham. A simple recipe goes as follows: Heat ¼ cup of corn syrup, 2/3 cup of butter and 2 cups of honey in a double boiler. Keep the icing warm while the ham is cooking.
3. Spread the glaze on the ham at intervals. Bake the ham at 163 degrees Celsius for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Every 10-15 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and spread the glaze thickly on the surface. For the last five minutes of baking, turn on the grill to caramelize the icing.
   • Glaze the ham when it has reached a core temperature of 71 degrees Celsius. Check if the ham is fully cooked.
   • You can also wait to glaze until the ham only needs to be baked for 20-30 minutes. Then bake at a constant temperature until the icing starts to caramelize and turn brown.
   • Spread the icing on it thickly. Make sure the sauce comes in all the notches so that the fat in the ham absorbs the flavor.
4. Let cool before serving. Remove the ham from the oven and let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes. Serve the notched glazed ham by cutting along the notches.

Tips

• As a decoration and for the added flavor, you can put a clove of garlic into any diamond shape you have made by cutting into the ham.

What you need

• A sharp knife
• A large cutting board