This deeply flavoured spiced cherry and port glazed ham is slow-roasted to perfection and lacquered with a sweet, spiced glaze: a grand centrepiece worthy of any hobbit luncheon! For more hearty Middle Earth mains you may enjoy our Cider Braised Rabbit with Herbs or our Mead Glazed Ham Baked in Hay for a Rohan-inspired recipe.
This recipe is featured in our Feasts of Middle Earth e-cookbook
Explore our popular immersive feasts inspired by Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and beyond, including additional recipes created for the collection.
Hobbit's Luncheon
Hobbit food is typically hearty, farmhouse fare making this ploughman’s lunch recipe the perfect luncheon entrée. While this dish can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, our hobbit’s menu deserves a grand entrée. Slow-roasted, this spiced cherry and port glazed ham can be served warm or cold for your ploughman’s lunch.
Ploughman’s lunch is a typical English meal that has a long history. Inspired by the simple meal of bread and cheese enjoyed by rural labourers, this hearty meal of cold meats, cheese, pickles, and bread is a popular choice today, especially in pubs.
Ingredient Notes
Ham: Look for a fully cooked smoked bone-in ham. The butt end tends to be more tender and has less connective tissue than the shank end; but both cuts would work well. I like to remove the skin before baking. While it is edible, it can be tough and most people usually cut it off. After putting so much effort into making such a delicious glaze, it would be a shame to lose that delicious flavour by cutting off the skin before eating.
Use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts under the skin. Once you have loosened a piece of the skin, you can pull it up and continue making shallow slashes under the skin. Be sure to leave a layer of fat on the ham – this will add tons of flavour and keep the ham moist while roasting.
Cherry Preserves: Store bought or homemade cherry preserves form the base of the glaze recipe. Cranberry sauce would make a good substitution as well – perfect for a holiday meal!
Port Wine: Port is a sweet, fortified wine often served with dessert or a cheese course. I typically use tawny port; however, a ruby port would work just as well.
How to Make Spiced Cherry and Port Glazed Ham
Bake the ham
Preheat the oven to 325 deg F. Prep the ham by cutting off the rind, or skin. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Score the fat on the ham in a crosshatch pattern. Add a cup or so of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place a piece of parchment
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes per lb until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140 deg F.
Make the glaze
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cherry preserves, brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, Port wine, lemon juice, kosher salt, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Set aside until needed.
Glaze the ham
Once the ham reaches around 130 deg F you can start to add the glaze. Remove the foil and parchment and brush a thick layer of glaze over the ham. Return to the oven uncovered and continue to roast for another 10 minutes. Add another layer of glaze and continue roasting. Repeat as necessary until the ham has reached 140 deg F and the glaze has begun to caramelize.
When the port glazed ham is done, tent it with a piece of foil and let rest until you’re ready to serve. Alternatively, cool the ham to room temperature and then refrigerate if serving cold.
Serve it for a Fall Feast
This glazed ham is equally at home on a golden autumn table as it is at a hobbit luncheon. The rich cherry and port glaze pairs beautifully with the creamy, cheesy layers of our Potatoes Dauphinoise for an indulgent fall dinner, or serve it alongside other dishes from our Fall in Middle Earth collection for a complete autumnal feast.
A Hobbit's Feast
- First Breakfast: Savoury Dutch Baby with Tomatoes, Sausages, and Bacon
- Second Breakfast: Wild Mushrooms on Cheese Toast
- Elevenses: White Braided Bread with Whipped Brie, Berries, and Honey
- Luncheon: Beef, stout and barley soup, Ploughman's Lunch, and Blackberry Almond Tart with Honey Whipped Mascarpone
- Afternoon Tea: Miruvor, Lavender Lembas bread, and Spiced Mead Honey Cake
- Dinner: Cider Braised Rabbit with Herbs
- Supper: Beer-Battered Fish and Chips
- Dessert: Hazelnut Meringue Cake with Strawberries and Cream
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Spiced Cherry and Port Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 4-6 lb fully cooked bone-in ham
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup cherry preserves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon Port wine
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Prep the ham by cutting off the rind, or skin. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Score the fat on the ham in a crosshatch pattern. Add a cup or so of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the ham and then cover the whole roasting pan tightly with foil.
- Bake a fully cooked ham for 20 to 25 minutes per pound until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F.
- To make the glaze, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cherry preserves, brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, Port wine, lemon juice, kosher salt, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Set aside until needed.
- Once the ham reaches 130° F begin to add the glaze. Remove the foil and parchment and brush a thick layer of glaze over the ham. Return to the oven uncovered and continue to roast for another 10 minutes. Add another layer of glaze and continue roasting. Repeat as necessary until the ham has reached 140° F and the glaze begins to caramelize.
- The ham is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F. When the ham is done, tent with a piece of foil and let rest until you’re ready to serve.
