How to cook and glaze gammon
Gammon, along with Turkey, is the perfect meal for Christmas Day. We show you how to cook and glaze gammon for your festive celebrations.
If you pop into you local supermarket you will find a selection of Gammon joints to choose from. A boned half-joint weighs between 2 to 3kg. A deboned joint is easier to cook and easy to carve. Whatever size joint you decide to buy, make sure you have a pot large enough to cook it in.
Preparation
Cooking your own gammon is more affordable than buying a pre-cooked gammon. However, take note of the weight on the packaging, as you will need this to calculate the cooking time.
You will need a pot large enough to take the joint, plus a metal grill for underneath, as well as liquid to cover the joint whilst cooking.
Rinse the joint under cold water to clean.
Cooking
Allow cooking time of 20 minutes per 500g.
Place the roast of a on a metal grill or trivet inside the pot. The grill prevents the joint from catching at the bottom.
Chop onions, carrots, celery and any other vegetables and herbs that you want to use to add flavour, as well as herbs and spices. Add enough liquid to just cover the joint.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for the calculated time.
Use a skewer to pierce the thickest part of the joint to check if cooked. If it glides in easily, the gammon is cooked. If the meat feels rubbery, give it another 15 minutes and test again.
Leave the joint to rest in the liquid for about 20 minutes. Once cooled, remove the gammon from the liquid and use a sharp knife to carefully remove the skin, leaving the fat.
Glazing
Glazing a gammon adds flavour and makes any gammon look delicious.
Keep a small amount of cooking water - about 50ml - and pour this into a bowl. Squeeze 2 oranges into the water and add orange zest. Add half a cup of brown sugar and 2 tbsp mustard powder and combine together.
Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern to make diamond shapes.
Stud the middle of each diamond with a clove and place gammon on a baking tray lined with a double layer of foil.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Use a pastry brush to paint the gammon with glaze and roast for 20 minutes or until it’s a rich, shiny colour.
Leave to rest for 20 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold.