By Kelly Gibney
Serves 8

This glaze is the most irresistible combination of flavours. Fennel seeds and fresh ginger add real depth. The cayenne pepper gives it a little zing and most crucially, the rich Noble 01 Bourbon Barrel Matured maple syrup pulls it all together beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 free range half ham on the bone

Glaze

• ¾ cup Noble Handcrafted 01: Tuthilltown Bourbon Barrel Matured Maple Syrup
• 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 30ml whiskey
• 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Use a small sharp knife to cut the rind around the top of the hock. You’ll be removing all the rind from all over the ham except this part. Run your knife under the rind along an edge just enough to allow you to get your fingers underneath and start to carefully peel the rind away from the fat. It may be easier to do this in sections. You want to leave as much fat as possible still attached to the ham so use your knife to cut along the edge of rind and release the fat if needed.
3. Score the fat layer (careful not to cut down into the meat) in diagonal lines one way and then the other to create a diamond pattern.
4. Whisk together all the glaze ingredients.
5. Cover the ham hock with tinfoil. Baste the ham generously with 1/3 of the glaze. Place on a rack in an oven proof dish. Pour water into the bottom of the dish to prevent the sweet glaze burning when it drops on the tray.
6. Bake for 20 minutes before basting again. Baste every 15 minute or so until the ham has cooked for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It should be beautifully golden and caramelized. Cook a little longer if needed.
7. Leave it to sit for 20 minutes before slicing thinly and serving.
8. Enjoy!