Rum and Coke Christmas Ham thanks to #4 for the recipe.

• 1/4 cup Bundy Rum
• 500gm jar black cherry preserve
• 700ml Coke
• 400gm brown sugar
• 100gm fresh cherries pitted and halved
• extra whole cherries to serve
• Peel and Juice of 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
• 7kg whole leg ham on the bone

Glaze

1. Place all ingredients, except the ham in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until sugar dissolves then bring to the boil
3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 mins until reduced by 1/4 and slightly thickened
4. strain into a heatproof jug and set aside
5. Reserve the solids for garnish

Ham

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Line large deep roasting pan with baking paper
3. Using small sharp knife, cut around the ham shank
4. Run the knife carefully, under the skin around the edge of the ham
5. Gently lift the skin in one piece by running your fingers between the skin and the fat.
6. Discard the skin and trim the fat to 5mm thick all over
7. Pour 1/2 the glaze into the prepared pan, then place the ham fat side down on top
8. Pour the remaining glaze and roast for 50 minutes
9. Carefully turn the ham over and baste with glaze then roast, basting every 10-15 minutes for a further 40 minutes or until caramelised.
10. Remove ham from oven and cool slightly
11. Place on serving platter. Spoon over remaining glaze from the roasting pan and scatter the reserved ingredients over the ham
12. Serve with fresh cherries