How to barbecue the best Christmas ham

A delicious new take on a Christmas classic

A glazed ham is a Christmas classic. This show-stopping centrepiece of the festive table is the dinner gift that keeps on giving, too, as the cold leftovers form the basis of Boxing Day lunches, midnight snacks and holiday picnics.

Cooking a leg of ham on the barbecue gives this holiday favourite a twist that still perfectly suits the traditional Christmas menu – plus, it frees up the main kitchen oven for your other menu items. You'll essentially be using the barbecue as an oven, so you’ll need one with a hood. Make sure the hood is high enough to fit a whole leg ham placed on a rack in a roasting tray.

Indirect heat is the best way to cook a leg of ham in a barbecue – that is, with hot air that circulates around the meat like an oven instead of directly underneath. Indirect heat is when either the centre burners are switched off and outside burners are left on (on larger barbecues) or, for smaller barbecues, one side is turned off and meat is moved to the side that has been turned off.

Quince and orange glazed ham recipe

Serves 12

1½ cups strained orange juice (4 oranges)

140g quince paste, chopped

⅓ cup brown sugar

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

7kg leg ham

Cloves

Step 1: Prep the glaze

Make the glaze the day before. Combine the juice, paste, sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar and paste have dissolved. Bring to the boil. Gently boil for about 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Allow to cool (the glaze will thicken). Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Step 2: Prepare the ham

On the day, preheat the barbecue with the hood down to 150°C. While the barbecue is preheating, prepare the ham by making a cut around the shank, about 8cm in from the end. Insert your fingers under the rind and rub them across ham between the rind and fat, peeling back the rind and exposing the white fat layer, until you reach the shank. Remove the rind and discard.

Step 3: Add the cloves

Using the tip of a sharp knife, score fat in 1cm-wide intervals sideways. Push some cloves into the fat every 10cm.

Step 4: Place the ham on the rack

Place a rack into a roasting pan and add the ham to the rack. Elevating it will ensure the ham sits above water level as it cooks.

Tip: Use a strong metal tray or two large heavy-duty foil trays placed inside each other for greater stability. Ensure the tray or pan is large enough to fit the whole ham to catch any dripping glaze.

Step 5: Glaze the ham

Reserve half of the glaze in a separate jug to heat and serve. Use the remaining glaze to brush and baste the ham. Cover the shank with foil.

Step 6: Cook the ham

Pour a 2cm layer of water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Carefully transfer the roasting pan, rack and ham to your barbecue. Roast for 45 minutes, with the hood down, brushing with the glaze and turning the pan twice during cooking.

Tip: If the water level is running low in the roasting pan, refill it. This is an important step, as it will catch the glaze and prevent it from burning.

Step 7: Finish cooking the ham

Increase the heat to 170°C. Brush the ham with more glaze. Cook with the hood down for a further 45 minutes or until the ham is golden or lightly caramelised on top, turning the pan halfway for an even colour.

Tip: As a guide, cook the ham for 15 to 20 minutes per kilogram, until the ham is caramelised and warmed through.

Continue to check the water in the pan. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the barbecue and allow the ham to stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. To serve, heat the reserved glaze and spoon over the carved ham.

Love cooking on the barbecue?

Round out your Christmas menu with more barbecue recipe ideas.

Photo Credit: Michelle Holden