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Honey Mustard Ham

Homemade ham from scratch, with a honey mustard glaze.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 9 days
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 9 days 5 hours
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

HAM
  • 1 bone-in pork leg approximately 4–4.5 kg
  • Curing mix prepared according to packet directions (I used Misty Gully, which was 130 g per 1 L water)
  • Cold water enough to completely submerge the pork leg
GLAZE
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Equipment

  • 1 Large container big enough to fit your entire ham with a lid
  • 1 Meat injector mine is linked on the ‘Erin’s Favourite Things’ page
  • Whisk
  • Thermometer

Method
 

  1. Weigh your pork leg before beginning. This weight will determine both the curing time and how much brine needs to be injected.
  2. Prepare the curing brine according to the directions for your curing mix. For the curing mix I used, I dissolved 130 g of curing mix per 1 L of cold water. Make enough brine to completely submerge the pork leg in your container, plus additional brine for injecting.
  3. Calculate the amount of brine to inject by taking 25% of the pork leg's starting weight. For example, a 4 kg pork leg requires approximately 1 kg (roughly 1 L) of prepared brine for injecting.
  4. Using a meat injector, inject the calculated amount of brine throughout the pork leg. Focus particularly on the thickest sections of meat and around the bone, distributing the brine as evenly as possible.
  5. Place the injected pork leg into a large food-safe container and completely cover it with the remaining prepared brine. Refrigerate for 24 hours per 500 g of meat. For example, my approximately 4.5 kg ham cured for 9 days. Keep the ham refrigerated for the entire curing period.
  6. Once cured, remove the ham from the brine and discard the used brine. Rinse the ham thoroughly under cold water, gently massaging the outside as you rinse.
  7. Place the ham into a clean container, completely cover with fresh cold water and soak for approximately 4 hours to remove some of the excess salt.
  8. Remove the ham from the water and pat completely dry with paper towel.
  9. Score the outside of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting through the outer layer without cutting deeply into the meat.
  10. Combine the brown sugar, honey and Dijon mustard to make the glaze. Do not add any additional salt.
  11. Brush the ham generously with the glaze, reserving the remaining glaze for basting.
  12. Preheat your smoker or oven to approximately 110°C. Cook the ham slowly until the internal temperature reaches at least 65°C in the thickest part of the meat near the bone, without the thermometer touching the bone.
  13. Approximately every hour during cooking, brush the ham with another layer of glaze. Continue cooking and glazing until the outside develops a thick, caramelised coating.
  14. Once the ham has reached temperature, remove it from the smoker or oven and allow it to rest and cool before slicing.