Nothing will ever take the place of my Ham in Coca-Cola from Bites — in my heart or on my table — but this slow-baked ham is a revelation of a different sort. The meat is astonishingly tender and carves into thin slices with ease; there is also very little shrinkage, and no wrangling with large joints of meat in boiling liquid. I always like a ham for the holidays — hot, it is spectacular, and it is helpful, after, to have cold ham to bring out alongside cold turkey (and for general sandwich duty), and this is the way to cook it to make your life easier. And if the 12–24 hours’ cooking doesn’t suit you, you can cook it for 5 hours in a 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF oven instead, before proceeding with the glaze. The juices that collect from the first step of cooking are gorgeously flavoured, but very intense. I pour a little of them over the cut slices of meat, but go sparingly. And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
