Prague ham with apples

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 3 kg ham (Prague ham)
• 8 apples, firm
• 8 shallots
• 3 tbsp honey, neutral
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1 liter apple juice
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes

Remove the Prague ham from the netting, season with pepper, and place in a casserole dish or sauté pan. Place in a preheated oven at 175°C (top/bottom heat), rind side up. Add a little apple juice. Let it sizzle, topping it up frequently. After 2 1/4 hours, add the cored and quartered apples and the peeled and halved shallots. Add the honey and thyme sprigs. If you don’t have any thyme sprigs, add 2 tablespoons of dried thyme. Let it simmer for another 3/4 hour. After a total of 3 hours, remove the roast from the oven and slice. Slices can (and should) be halved again, otherwise the portions will be too large. Season the sauce again with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and mashed potatoes. Serve with parsley root or mashed potatoes. It’s also delicious as part of a meal.