Best Gammon EVER

[Marshmallowbrain]

What are your fail proof, best gammon you've ever had in your life recipes?

For Nigella fans, which recipe do you use? There seem to be several online but I can't find one for the slow cooker, unless she doesn't do it that way? (I found a slow cooked one but she leaves it in the oven all night on low?) Thanks!

If I did this over night, could I shove in the oven for an hour on low to heat before serving at lunch time?

I have a party at work to do and gammon has been requested.

Like this but with some cider and a dash of Worcestershire sauce in that glaze - stops it going hard like toffee.

Oh and I skim the salt scum off the water when boiling - will even change water if lots coming off. Boil for 1hr min - usually add 30mi for each 500g over a kg after that.

I think the piece of gammon matters. Prepped traditionally with the skin/fat round the outside. Then cut off the skin after boiling and leave a layer of fat to s ore and glaze.

Can I ask the dumb question?
Once it's sliced and in the delicious bath, do you whack it back in the oven? How long for?

@FairgroundAttractionPerfect it isn't a stupid question. Yes it does go into the oven. I have it as 220 for 10 minutes, it is mainly to heat the glaze which is mixed in a measuring jug and then to cook off the red wine vinegar a little. My oven is on from making the roast potatoes.

I'm not really keen on mustard, for the glazes that include mustard can you actually taste it?

No, not really. Mixing it with brown sugar mellows it anyway and just gives a sweet and savoury taste. You can also use marmalade or ginger jam (not mixed with sugar) if you don't want to use mustard.

Similar, but the glaze is made from 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 3 tbsp orange marmalade, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 2 oz Demerara sugar. (This for a really big piece, I usually find about half is enough).

After removing rind, slashing the fat into diamonds and applying glaze, cook for 20 mins at 200/180 fan for 20 mins.
Smells like Christmas heaven while it’s cooking!

@ABagInABox could I ask how long you cook it in the Instant Pot for in the water? Thanks

When you're boiling it, make sure it's barely simmering. That's key to avoiding dryness. I sous vide ours to keep it moist.

When we cut the skin off before glazing, we stick the skin in the oven to make crackling. It's delicious.

How long do you roast your ham for and at what temperature @Oblahdeeoblahdoe ?

@BB49 of course, 15 minutes per 500g. Take it out of the fridge 2 hours beforehand although I have forgotten to do that and it is still fine. I put the trivet in the bottom, 2 cups of water because I have the biggest one which I think is 8 quart pot. I press Saute to heat the pot, once the water is bubbling, cancel, add the joint, manual setting, high pressure should light up and however many minutes.

I do natural release so around 45 minutes, I just let it sit until I am ready to slice and glaze it for the oven. Internal temp of at least 63c which I always check but we have been doing it for years, not just at Christmas either.

I love my IP for this reason. Same when I do a roast chicken dinner, we all have chicken breast as we are 4 adults so I take frozen chicken breasts from the freezer, put 2 cups boiling water into the IP, add some salt and pepper add frozen chicken breasts and swirl the pot so they all get wet and set it to manual for 25 minutes. In all I allow 1 hour to heat, cook, and sit. It is ready at 25 minutes and you can manual release but again I let it sit until I am about to dish up everything and I just slice up the chicken breast and add it to the plates. Also good for adding to pasta, into stir fries and sandwiches.

Thanks @ABagInABox. I have the 5 quart and also love it, had it for years. I'll try your method for the gammon. Interesting you don't soak it and change the water or anything, does it end up salty?

For the chicken breasts, do you use the trivet as well above the water or do you put them straight in the water? Have you ever used the slow cooker function on it? I haven't, but would like to one day!

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@BB49 I just buy the unsmoked 2.4kg joint from Asda, I have a child (now 18) who definitely would complain if it was too salty. You could just try it with a small 700g joint, I am going off Asda weights for their gammon joints. Even when I boiled it on the hob I never soaked it or changed the water.

With the gammon I use a trivet, with the chicken no trivet it just all sits in the water. It doesn't matter how many breasts you put in, I do anything from 2 to 8 breasts and it is still that 25 minute cooking time. I do sometimes put a bit more water in for the 8 breasts but I never fully cover them. Have a try. I have used both bought frozen breasts and fresh then frozen ones. We shop at Costco so portioning and freezing is a normal activity. I just "processed" 5.5kg of minced steak!

I have used the slow cooker function and I don't think it is great. It is something to do with how a slow cooker warms the pot and how the IP does. I believe it is hit and miss over what you cook. I did a chilli with beef shin that took so long we ate something else for dinner and had that the next day. So I use my slow cooker for anything slow cooked. I do however use the yoghurt function which is brilliant and easy as I use UHT milk and a cold start so no faffing, milk in, starter, yoghurt overnight, strain and have Greek yoghurt.

Thanks again @ABagInABox. Really helpful. I'll avoid the slow cooker function. You've reminded me to try yoghurt again, I stopped because of the faffy straining!

This is exactly what I do , sometimes add some sriracha in place of the mustard

I’m in the minority but hated the Coca-Cola ham and most of it got chucked away

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow-cooked_black_21152 This Nigella one - but you don't need nearly as much black treacle in the slow cooking stage.

I really like this one, the cauliflower cheese is made with the ham stock rather than milk and is really tasty: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ham-cheese

I watched Chef Neven Maguire ( Irish celebrity chef ) at the Cashel Palace Hotel (it has a Michelin starred restaurant ) on tv last week and tried to replicate the ham he cooked on the show.
I didn’t soak it beforehand so it was sooo salty.
Baked for 5 hours.
A flop.

So getting great ideas on this thread.

Do you trim the fat down or bother glazing it afterwards?

Has anyone managed to slow cooker cook a gammon on Christmas eve, then just glaze and roast on Christmas day?

Trying to decide if the roasting time on Christmas day to get upto temperature would spoil the glaze

This

@Tigerlilyxx So I always buy Asda’s unsmoked gammon joint and there’s very little fat on it.

No, you don’t glaze. It’s fully cooked, falls apart and is so soft. It has this lovely subtle festive flavour.

The photos that go with gammon recipes always show it cutting neatly. Ours tends to fall apart. Any idea how to stop it from falling apart please?