Is it Better to Roast Or Boil a Gammon Joint?
Whether you’re looking to cook a festive gammon joint for your family and friends or simply want to try something new, there are many different ways to prepare it. The most popular method is roasting, but you can also boil or braise it to add extra flavour and texture to your gammon.
When choosing your gammon, it’s important to ensure that you buy a good quality cut of meat. It should have a pinkish color to indicate it’s fresh and should have a balanced taste. It should be firm enough to cut easily, but not too hard.
You may also want to choose a ham that has a mild salt cure, as this can help maintain its natural colour and flavour. Some gammon joints are wet-brined, while others are dry-brined. Wet-brined joints need to be soaked in water for a few hours before cooking to remove the excess salt, while dry-brined joints do not need this step.
If you buy a joint from the butcher, it’s worth checking the packaging to see how salty the meat is before cooking as this can affect the level of flavour and smokiness. A good butcher will be able to advise you if you need to soak it or not, and how much water is needed for a particular joint.
Boiling and roasting are both excellent ways to prepare a gammon joint, but you should make sure to weigh your joint so you know exactly how long it will take to cook. For a gammon joint that’s weighed when raw, you should allow 20 minutes of cooking time per 450g (1/2kg).
A gammon joint should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140°C (60°F). You can use a thermometer to check this, but it is best to remove the gammon before it reaches this stage.
Using a slow cooker to cook your gammon is another excellent way to get it right. This will ensure that your gammon is cooked to perfection and that it’s not too fatty, which can affect the flavour of the meat.
To cook your gammon in a slow cooker, place it in the pot and cover with a lid. Put it on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, then pull it out of the cooker and leave it to cool before slicing.
Before removing the meat from the slow cooker, wrap it in a double layer of foil to stop it drying out too quickly and keep it moist until you’re ready to serve it. You can then slice it and reheat it in the oven, or freeze it for up to six months.
You can use the leftover gammon in a variety of dishes, from elegant terrines to midweek meals like Shaun Hill’s gammon, leek and mustard pasta bake. It can also be served hot or cold if you prefer, or sliced and added to soups or stews to add extra flavour.
