Cachaca and guava-glazed ham

Set your festive table apart with these inspired global feasts. Reinvent baked ham with our delicious rum and guava glaze or turn succulent roast chicken into Peking-style pancakes. Throw in some summery sides and drinks to match, and you’ve got your celebration sorted.

• serves

  12

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 6 kg ham, rind removed, fat left intact
• 125 ml (½ cup) white rum (cachaça)
• 3 limes, cut in half
• store-bought chimichurri, pickled chillies (see Note), sliced capsicum and mint leaves, to serve

Spice rub

• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground chilli
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Guava glaze

• 300 g guava paste (see Note), chopped
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 large oranges, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) agave syrup (see Note)
• 40 g Mexican chocolate (see Note), grated
• 60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar
• 2 jalapeño chillies, finely chopped

Resting time 30 minutes

Instructions

To make glaze, place guava paste and 60ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted. Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and stand for 30 minutes or until cool. Strain and set aside. Makes 750 ml.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine spice rub ingredients in a bowl. Rub into ham, then score fat with a diamond pattern. Place ham in a roasting pan and pour over rum and 660ml glaze. Bake, basting frequently with pan juices and 320ml glaze (reserving remaining 1 tbsp for limes), for 1 hour or until fat is browned.

Meanwhile, brush cut side of limes with remaining 1 tbsp glaze, then chargrill, cut-side down, for 3 minutes or until charred.

Serve ham with chimichurri sauce, pickled chillies, capsicum, mint and chargrilled limes.

Note

• Pickled chillis are available from delis.

• Guava paste (goiabada) is available from Portuguese, Asian and Indian food shops.

• Agave syrup, from selected health food shops and specialist food shops, is a naturally occurring sweetener that is similar to honey.

• Mexican chocolate is available from Herbie’s Spices, Monterey Mexican Foods and other specialist food shops. Substitute dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), plus 1 tsp white sugar.

Photography by John Laurie and Brett Stevens

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.