It's that time of the year! Holidays, and food galore. We at Adsactly wish all our wonderful followers a fantastic Festive Season! And to those who don't celebrate - follow along on this indulgent recipe, and learn all about the history of the Christmas feast.
Buon Natale / Joyeux Noël / God Jul / Feliz Navidad / Христос се роди / C рождеством! / Crăciun Fericit / Wesołych Świąt / Maligayang Pasko / क्रस्मसको शुभकामना / Selamat Hari Natal / 메리 크리스마스 / শুভ বড়দিন / Zalig Kerstfeest / Frohe Weihnachten / Veselé Vánoce / Sretan Božić / 圣诞快乐 / E ku odun / Idara ukapade isua / Geseënde Kersfees / Merry Christmas!
I tried hard to find Merry Christmas in the language of all of our followers! If I didn't include your language, please comment below.
Before I share this amazing recipe with you, let me first tell you a little about the origins of the Christmas celebration feast, and why today we eat a gammon at this time of year.
Although the first recorded feast was celebrated in 336AD, in Rome, the eating of a ham or pig actually has its roots in Germanic Pagan history. Traditionally, in ancient Norse times, a wild boar was sacrificed to the Norse god Freyr, asking him to show favour on his people in the new year.
Freyr was mainly associated with prosperity, good weather and fertility. In England, and throughout Scandinavia, it is thought that St Stephen inherited some of Freyr's characteristics. A side note - in Western Christianity, St Stephen's Day is the 26th December, now celebrated as Boxing Day, in most countries.
Pope Julias the First declared 25th December as "Christmas" in the 4th century, tying this celebration in with the observance of the winter solstice already celebrated by many other Pagan cultures, and with this, came the eating of boar, and in today's times - ham.
🌈🌈So interesting, right?!🌈🌈
Here is what I made this Christmas; a lovely, sticky, tender gammon, cooked for twelve hours in a mixture of treacle and maple syrup.
INGREDIENTS
(serves four)
- 2kg gammon
- 125ml treacle
- 125ml maple syrup
- two cloves garlic, smashed
- handful of cloves
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 4 T Demerara sugar
- more treacle! 🙌 🙌 🙌 (4 T)
- tinfoil
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 250'C/450'F. Prepare your baking tray by lining it with tinfoil and placing the rack over tinfoil.
Place two layers of tinfoil on flat surface, shiny surface down. Lay your gammon in the center of the tinfoil neatly.
Drizzle the ham with the treacle and maple syrup. No need for salt as the ham itself is smoked, and quite salty.
Place the garlic into the tinfoil, and wrap your gammon quite tightly. By doing this, you are making sure that no moisture escapes, and it all goes directly back into your ham.
Blast for thirty minutes at 250'C/450'F, and then turn down your oven to 100'C/212'F. Cook for 12 hours at this low heat. You can actually cook this for up to 24 hours, depending on how much time you have.
Your home will smell like candied bacon, and you will want to bash your cats on the head with tinsel, and make them sing Jingle Bells on repeat. 🎄
In the meantime you can prepare your veg, or whatever sides you choose. I chose to roast carrots, garlic, potatoes and shallots with rosemary and maple syrup.
Once the twelve hours have passed, it is time for the great unveiling of the ham. Cue the fanfare and cherubs.
The ham will be blackened and crispy, and smell heavenly 🎄 Discard the tinfoil, but keep the juices aside. Place the ham on the baking tray, and carefully cut the hard skin off. Increase the oven temp to 200'C/400'F.
Once you have removed the skin, score the fat in diamond shaped movements. Stud each diamond with a clove.
In a small bowl, mix the leftover juices, a bit of Demerara sugar, more treacle and the Dijon mustard, keeping the ratio 4:1 (1 T mustard for every four T treacle) Brush the fat with this mixture, and bake the ham for a further 20 minutes, or until the fat is crispy and brown.
Rest for about fifteen minutes before carving.
I then used the leftover juices to make a sauce, which we poured over the ham. I actually cannot describe the tenderness. I have never had ham, so moist, and so gorgeously, yet, so subtly flavoured. The treacle gives the ham an almost caramel flavour, but much deeper and darker.
This was a truly decadent meal, fit for a god - Freyr - you there?
Hope you enjoyed this recipe, and your Christmas too!
Many thanks - @princessmewmew
🌸🌸 to find out more about Adsactly, come join us in our Discord channel here 🌸🌸
Didn't know you are also multilingual or is ....ahem...Google translate helping? :)
Seeing that treacle drip on top of the ham is the most satisfying thing I have seen this week, sadly this post is NSFHP (Not Suitable For Hungry People), and it is 11.09AM here, and I am yet to have my breakfast :)
Can I have one? Thanks for sharing now I am off to have my breakfast.
heehehe! Google translate did help me out a little.
You made me laugh with your NSFHP :)
I thought as much. Good one :)
hehe! thank you.
well this adsactly food recipe with the history of ham this i think the best recpie of today and it look tasty and now we will try to make it but after 5 days of christmass if u shared it before some day ago sure we try it for make christmass with this best and historicle recpie...to see this recpie sure we choose a name adsactly foods like a brand...also thanx to @princessmewmew who make it more delecious and tasty with u and u share this great ham recpie
Christmas + food i mean delicious food are the best combination ever imagin you are at place where snowfall is going on and you are inside your home and eating delicious food.
Look like a heaven so. @ADsactly you are a great you giving us great recipies which are awesome i appreciate your work that why i following you keep it up waiting for your next post
That ham looks so sumptuously made. Would be nice to have with some fresh vegetables and a glass of red wine. Cheers!
yummy))
Phwooaar that looks amazing!! I love the idea of the treacle and the decadence it gives!! Top feasting!
hehe! It was actually super amazing! thanks for your comment, ol' Boom. :)
You have some really hairy hands there @princessmewmew
:D
lol... might they belong to a certain Mork?
I love your kitties with their hats on! so cute!
Such a nice recipe but sadly I don't think we have the ingredients here in Nigeria. In my language we say Isélógbé to wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
You can use a pork roast too! I put E ku odun / Idara ukapade isua for Nigeria, but I know there are a few dialects! Thank you for your comment, upvoted because it is so genuine!!
@adsactly food, written by @adsactly, how more personable can this post be? I'd like to say @adsactly but instead I'll just say exactly.
Thanks for the work you put into it, not only with the photos, the explanation, but the recipe too. :)
Very nice!
You did include my language, Croatian! Sretan Božić to you, too! Deliciousss!
yes, our very own @velimir is also Croatian :)
I am familiar with that fact. Follow and appreciate his work, too :)
awwww! 🌸 :)
I am your follower.
And I am from India. southern state Andhra Pradesh.
Our country India's national language is Hindi. in Hindi it is
" क्रिसमस की बधाई " pronounces like: (krisamas kee badhaee).
My regional language is Telugu. In Telugu it is " క్రిస్మస్ శుభాకాంక్షలు " pronounces like: ( Krismas śubhākāṅkṣalu)
The origins of the Christmas celebration feast is very interesting.
Thank you for the greetings. nice post.
thank you for your nice comment! your alphabet is very pretty!
şuan aklımda tek bişey var.
right now, I need to find it somewhere and eat it right away :D
Is that Turkish? Thank you for your comment!
yes a little turkish, a little english : D
Hmm, lecker. Looks extremely goo. I am wondering however what Demerara sugar is and where to get it. Thanks for sharing!
Lekker! Are you Dutch? In South Africa we say lekker.
It’s a type of dense, dark brown sugar with similar properties to treacle. You’ll definitely find it in the baking aisle at most grocery stores. I don’t think it is an uncommon item
I am actually German and we use the same word but spelled a little differently. Are you from South Africa? I studied for a semester in Stellenbosch and still remember this as some of the best time of my life... 1998...
Yes, I live in Cape Town!
Just one semester? It’s a short time. 😢
Nice to look at. Very delicious. "Oh, that recipe though!!"
upvoted
Absolutely brilliant. Now all I need is an AWESOME kosher recipe for the new year. Not many people can contribute, as the Jews don't celebrate the solar calendar. Our New Years is in the September range. Anyone?
Great recipe, I will try to make it too
Your work is a delightful experience you are doing a great job. Keep it up
Impressive!Thanks for the post
Merry Christmas: I bring you divine favor, long life, good health, prosperity, success and the peace of Christ born of a virgin.
you did not include my language... Love your recipe @shizzy
Wow, so 26th of December was initially St. Stephen's Day, my name is Stephen, so I can say i'm celebrated on that day too 😁😁
It’s like a double bday kind of
Lol, double bday works for me 😊😊
yes! his history is very interesting, he actually did live once upon a time.
I confess the dark color is scary, it must be the fear that gives me to burn my meals. good recipe definitely a special dish.
hehe, noo, it is so sticky and tasty, and that very dark crispy part is divine!
happy new year
Nice recipe. Will check it out in my restaurant. Thanks for sharing
mmmmm great post@rastalikelove
Wow! Very nice food and recipe... thanks for sharing this post... carry on my friend...
Awesome formula, I will attempt to make it as well
Your work is a delightful affair you are completing an awesome activity. Keep it up.
Upvoted and resteemed
wow so yummmy nice post
Hello dear friend
Thanks for sharing Food recipes.
I also share food recipes always please read it and if you find it useful then upvote me...
https://steemit.com/food/@mercyjohnson/7food-recipe-yummy-and-chocolaty-eggless-coffee-cupcake-instructions-step-by-step-try-it-today
wow it looks soo tasty and yummy. Merry christmas to you and your family.
This was so good to see must be very delicious .thanks for sharing.
followed // upvoted // resteem
happy new year and good luck
looking at your recipe in combination with pictures, involuntarily woke up the appetite :) everything is fine and detailed, I'll definitely try to do it in the future, because I'm sure it's very tasty ...
with the Coming New Year you, let all the problems that were left in 2017, and in the new year you will prosper and develop! Happiness to you and your family
I summon to power of @originalworks for this magical post
The @OriginalWorks bot has determined this post by @adsactly to be original material and upvoted it!
To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!
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Have a Happy Healthy New Year! Thanks for a years worth of great recipes and tips. It's much appreciated :)
Thank you dear @adsactly for sharing food and its recipe Good thoughts I like your post and follow you hope u also do thanks alot
haha soo good post like always
you are the best
Hello there :)
Always great to discover new articles and I really like yours!
You can follow me if you like photography and if you are interested in seeing beautiful places, portraits and landscapes: as a passionate photographer I try to build my place here by sharing my work. I hope you'll like it :)
Here is an example of my work :
and you can see my personal presentation here
Have a great day!!
Why did pope julius declared 25th december for christmas celebration?.is it to nutralize the pagan culture celebration that most of it happen during the time of the year or some other important reason?
My research showed that it was coincidental with the Winter Solstice and other Pagan celebrations. Jesus is said to actually have been born close to the 11th of Sept (does that date ring a bell?)
My mouth is watering- they good delicious. Again thank you for an outstanding recipe
Wow , look perfect, it will be very nice if you will write a post for a people how don't eat animals 😏
sure! we have done so in the past, but then I was asked to make more meat dishes! Suppose you can't please everyone! Will def do a few more vegetarian meals in Jan
Recipe is always looking good and mouthwatering too, But when I am cooking it, taste will be different from seeing in recipes. I am not getting why only I ?
delicious :)
Good post! Great content, nice marvellous pictures. Thanks for sharing. I follow and upvote you.
Good post! Great content, nice marvellous pictures. Thanks for sharing. I follow and upvote you.
wow i can try ........
& nice post.........
waaaauuu delicious is amazing
Combination of different species... It's really going to be yummy.....
Look like so tasy :) Thanks. Happy New Year
wow,,spicy & delicious food