Sticky Plum Glazed Festive Ham

Holiday dinners are all about creating unforgettable moments, and nothing sets the stage better than bold, memorable flavours. Enter the Sticky Plum Glazed Festive Ham by Zimmy’s Nook—a true star of the table. With its juicy, tender meat and a glaze bursting with spiced plum richness, this dish brings a special kind of magic that leaves everyone at the table happily quiet, relishing each bite.

This isn’t just another main course—it’s a tradition in the making. Perfect for intimate family gatherings or larger celebrations, it’s destined to become the recipe your guests can’t stop talking about. One bite, and they’ll be hooked.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 3 hours

Serves: 15-20

Ingredients

4.5 kg (10 pound) Grimm’s Festive Ham, bone in
10 cardamom pods, pods lightly bashed
1 blood orange, cut into 6 slices
6-8 plums, halved (we used red plums)
1 red onion, cut into wedges (leave the root intact to hold them together), optional
6 sprigs of thyme, optional

Sticky Plum Glaze

6-8 plums, chopped (we used a combination of red and black plums)
2 cups dark brown sugar, loosely packed (a little less works too)
½ cup port wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
¼ cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
½ teaspoon crushed cardamom (remove seeds from pods and crush with a mortar & pestle)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F

For the Ham:

Lightly carve a crosshatch pattern across the top of the ham.
Place the ham on a rack in a small roasting pan.
Add 12 slightly crushed cardamom pods, one blood orange sliced, a couple of sprigs of thyme and two cups of hot water into the roasting pan.
Cover tightly with tin foil and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the ham has reached an internal temperature of 130°F. Baste the ham with pan juices.

Make the Sticky Plum Glaze:

While the ham is cooking, make the glaze.
Put the chopped plums into a 3-quart saucepan with the sugar, port, balsamic vinegar, ginger root, orange juice and crushed cardamom seeds. Place over a medium heat and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the plums have completely broken down to create a sticky jam consistency.
Blitz with an immersion blender until smooth.

Glaze & Finish the Ham:

Once the ham has reached 130°F, remove the ham from the oven.
Raise the heat to 400°F.
Spread the halved plums and onion wedges around the roasting pan.
Brush the ham all over with a good layer of the spiced plum glaze.
Roast for 25 minutes, adding another layer of glaze halfway through the cooking time.
When the glaze has started to caramelise and the plums are soft, remove from the oven and leave to rest. **Watch the glazing process carefully and reduce the heat if the glaze begins to burn.