Luncheon: Spiced Cherry and Port Glazed Ham

A Hobbit’s Feast

Luncheon wouldn’t be complete without a succulent baked ham! This spiced cherry and port glazed ham makes an excellent addition to a ploughman’s lunch.

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.

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 a blackberry almond tart with whipped honey mascarpone
• Afternoon Tea: Miruvor, lavender lembas bread, and spiced mead honey cake
• Dinner: Cider braised rabbit with herbs
• Supper: Beer-battered fish and chips

Let me know what you think about the recipe, or hobbit food generally, in the comments below!

Follow along on Instagram @rhubarbandlavender for my Hobbit’s Feast reel series, and always make sure to tag me if you make one of my recipes!