1. Step 1 Into a saucepan or stock pot large enough to hold the ham, add two bottles of the cider, the onions, carrot, celery, bay leaves cloves and black pepper, and then top up with water until the ham is covered. If you have a heat-resistant thermometer (a Meater is ideal), insert it into the thickest part of the ham.

1. Step 2 Bring to the boil and then simmer very gently until the centre of the ham is 65°c. A 2.3 kg ham will take about 2.5 to 3 hours, less for a smaller joint. Once cooked, allow the ham to cool in the stock for a few hours, or overnight.

1. Step 3 *If using a pre-cooked ham, skip this last step. 

Baking the ham

1. Step 5 Preheat the oven to 160°c fan. 

1. Step 6 Remove the ham from the pot, reserving the stock, and remove any string and carefully peel the skin off; score a diamond pattern into the fat. 

1. Step 7 Place in a solid, deep roasting tray and add the remaining bottle of cider with 200ml of the stock. Bake for around an hour until the ham is a light golden colour, basting regularly. If the tray is in danger of drying out, add a bit more stock. 

1. Step 8 *If using a pre-cooked ham, you can carry out the steps above, using cider and a well-seasoned chicken or vegetable stock instead. 

1. Step 9 Remove the ham from the oven and raise the temperature to 180°c. Place the halved oranges, face-down in the pan, and generously cover the surface of the ham with Sarah’s Pickled Oranges. Bake for a further 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm. 

1. Step 10 Place the baking tray onto a gentle heat, then stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes stirring well. Add 500ml of the reserved stock (or another well-seasoned stock if you used a pre-cooked ham), and simmer until thickened. 

1. Step 11 Strain the stock into a clean pan, add the cream and chopped parsley, and heat through. 

Serving

1. Step 13 We recommend serving with mashed potato and fine green beans.