stupid question about ham

[desperateforaholiday]

Ive never cooked a ham before, is a gammon joint the same thing? Ive been looking in the supermarket but they only have gammon

Also what is the best way to cook it?

Too embarrassed to ask rl friends

[SizzleSazz]

Yes, gammon is ham.

Either boil or bake it - instructions will be on the pack. Unlike to boil it as it stays moist and you can use the cooking liquid for soup.

[SizzleSazz]

I like even...

[desperateforaholiday]

Thank you, ive been looking for hams to cook no wonder I couldn't find any

[WandaDoff]

Gammon joints & ham joints are pretty much the same thing. My favourite recipe is 'Nigella's ham.

Surprisingly delicious.

[CogitOCrapNotMoreSprouts]

I regularly buy gammon joints. Really easy to cook (I favour boiling), don't shrink, lots of lovely leftovers for pasta dishes and sandwiches and, because Christmas is looming, there are some good deals in the shops at the moment. Would not recommend using the cooking liquid for soup unless you like really salty soup, sorry :)

[InNeedOfBrandyButter]

Gammon/ham is the only thing I use my slow cooker for. I love it.

[Kinora]

So glad you asked this question. I stared in the cabinet at Tesco this week and then walked away confused

[Djembe]

Same here are they still v salty then? Thought it would be a healthier and poss cheaper option than packet ham for lunches with my 1yo.

[InNeedOfBrandyButter]

There is a nigella recipe (I think) thats makes soup with the cooking water. Apparently it's really really nice. I would assume, having never saw recipe, that the salt would be soaked out first like saltfish.

[scrablet]

Oh, pea and ham soup from the ham water...yum.
However, not if you have made the cola ham!

[ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets]

I've just come on to ask a question about gammon, I'll hijack this thread instead
What can I put on/in it to jazz it up a bit?
I'm open to oven or slow cooker at the moment!

[kiwigirl42]

its taken me until last yr to realise that a gammon was simply an uncooked ham! Tell me more about ham in the slow cooker. How much and what liquid do you use?

[InNeedOfBrandyButter]

kiwi theres a huge thread on ham in the slow cooker cooked with brown sugar.

I don't trust it not to burn the bottom so I just stick it in with a can of coke/cherry coke a few spoonfuls of brown sugar if I have it (not all the time) turn it to high for a few hours and then low all afternoon till dinner time. If I got up early on a weekend and put it in before 9 I would keep it low all day.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Does anyone know if the slow cooker ham with brown sugar can be done in an oven?

[higgle]

When I do a small one for Christmas I soak it overnight ( though it says you don't need to anymore) and cover it with a paste of 2 tbs mamalade, some honey and the liquidised fruit from a tin of apricots + a spoon of dijon mustard and roast it in the oven.

[CogitOCrapNotMoreSprouts]

"What can I put on/in it to jazz it up a bit?"

I cook my gammon in plain water to which I've added a cinammon stick, some peppercorns and bayleaves for flavour When cooked I allow it to cool down to hand-hot in the water so it stays juicy. Then transfer to a roasting tin, strip off any skin leaving a thin layer of fat. Rub some brown sugar mixed with wholegrain mustard over the entire surface with your hands and roast for about 15 mins in a hot oven so that the glaze caramelises a little.

[desperateforaholiday]

Thanks for all the great ideas, ive bought my 1st gammon joint today, its now in the freezer ready for Christmas

[ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets]

Oh my goodness cola ham sounds amazing! Too late for today's slow cooker but I will definitely do it another time. Silly question, can I use diet coke? Currently on slimming world!
Thanks for all the great ideas

[SizzleSazz]

I usually soak mine for 1-2hrs before cooking and the (refreshed) water is fine for soup.
I cook one every few weeks as I love ham with cauli cheese and I slice the rest and freeze in packets for sandwiches. Much cheaper than packet ham.

[InNeedOfBrandyButter]

ICan I wouldn't as you need sugar not sweetners.

[KnittyFoxyMa]

inspired by the slow cooker brown sugar thread I did in fact do a big half price gammon in my slow cooker on Sunday. I soaked it for an hour, then poured away that water, sprinkled it with about 1tbs of brown sugar and poured over the dregs of some posh cider, really only a couple of tbsp tho.
it cooked for about 8 hours and was really melty, and there was cooking liquid to the brim . we had it in soft rolls w applesauce.
we are having some of the leftovers in jacket spuds today.
I reduced the cooking liquid down to a pint and have freezn it for stock. it wasn't too salty.

[CharlieMouseWillDoIt]

Another gammon/ham question - can cooked ham be frozen?

I've often thought about buying a gammon joint as it probably works out cheaper (and nicer) than buying loads of packet ham, but even the small joints are too large for my DH and I (unless we want to eat ham every day for a few days...) Anyway, if I cooked a gammon joint and sliced it up, can the slices be frozen?

[InNeedOfBrandyButter]

Oh good idea charlie and then they should be thawed (SP) out by lunch. Now can anyone tell us if theis would cause food poisoning?

[claracluck71]

No, it wouldn't be more likely to cause food poisoning any more than using packet ham would. You could buy a fresh joint, freeze it, defrost it, cook it, slice it and then freeze it again (once cold) - would be fine.

[CharlieMouseWillDoIt]

Brilliant! With the slow cooker I'm getting for Christmas it'll be slow-cooked gammon all the way!