Please help me with Nigellas Ham in Cherry Coke!

[stnikkilarse1978]

Right I want to make this for New Years Eve to go with the cheese board and other nibbles I am doing. I am doing the glazed version so baked in the oven after slow cooked with black treacle, mustard and sugar on top.

What I need to know is:-

Exactly which type of meat do I buy as the ones Nigella et al use on TV for hams are massive - do I need to go to my butcher? What do I ask for?

My slow cooker is 3.5l so presumably I can't fit anything substantial in there and will have to use a pan? How long to cook it for and how low does the gas need to be on the hob?

Will the whole thing stay together if slow cooked? I want to slice it, not have it fall apart as I lift it out of the pan!

Any help appreciated :)

For the meat, I go to my butcher. He's really helpful, so I just need to tell me the cut that the recipe describes. With the gammon for the ham in coke, I have usually got a half a gammon with the bone taken out, as otherwise it's too big.

To cook it I use the biggest pan I have and do it on a really low heat so it's just simmering.

When it comes out, it's sliceable but falls apart quite easily as it's so tender.

If you're using the black treacle glaze, be careful as it burns quite easily. (My favourite glaze is the one from How to Eat but that's for normal Coke rather than cherry coke so not sure how it would work for you.)

How long do you simmer it for?

Ohh, not sure from memory. 2-3hrs seems to ring a bell but it's been ages since I last made it. I can look it up for you tonight if you'd like.

i don't think it massively matters how long you cook it for - being the lazy cook i am, i bung the gammon and however much coke i have in the slow cooker and leave it. all day... it's lush. and you can't really taste the cherry coke/coke difference, i've done both and forgotten which is which and whatever happens it's simply beautiful!!

i second the butcher but i've used supermarket cuts as well and they are fine too.
and you can use smoked or unsmoked gammon too.
god i know i sound completely blase about this - sorry!! it's a lovely recipe

Yes please! I can't seem to find an actual recipe :)

I am going to order my cut from the butcher on Friday. So I just ask for a gammon joint to feed 10 people with the bone removed? If it fits in the slow cooker bonus but if not I will do it in the pan :)

Ok, checked the recipe. This is to feed 8.

2.25-2.75 kg of boneless mild cure gammon
approx 6 cans of cherry coke
1 onion.

Nigella says to soak the ham overnight to get rid of the salt but have to say I didn't bother.

To cook it put all in a pan. You need enough liquid to cover the ham and may need to add a bit of water if there's not quite enough coke. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer with the pan partially covered. Simmer for 2-2.25 hours.

Not sure if you need the recipe for the glaze but for the cherry coke you need:

16 cloves
3-4 tbs cherry jam
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar

Heat the oven to 230C. Strip the rind from the ham. Cut a diamond pattern into the fat and stud with cloves. Heat the rest of the ingredients in a pan until they boil and form a syrupy consistency. Sit the ham on tin foil in a roasting tray and pour the glaze over the ham. In the oven for about 15 min but be careful to catch it before it burns.