Home cook Harry Stockbridge has shared his recipe on how to make a delicious Christmas gammon roast using a slow cooker and his trick to create a tasty accompanying glaze
A home cook has shared his ‘ultimate guide’ to slow cooking gammon for Christmas dinner (stock)(Image: Clark and Company via Getty Images)
While turkey might be the most favoured meat choice for Christmas dinner, those who fancy gammon can benefit from a home cook’s guidance that will guarantee your roast is “delicious” come December 25. Harry Stockbridge, who offers cooking advice through his Slow Cooker Sundays website, revealed his preferred recipe.
“If you’re making a gammon this Christmas, this is my ultimate guide to making Christmas gammon in the slow cooker,” he began in a TikTok video. Naturally, the initial step involves selecting the proper joint – keeping in mind that a standard slow cooker holds 3.5 litres and the usual gammon weighs approximately 1.4kg.
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“Smoked or unsmoked – it doesn’t matter,” Harry went on. “It’s your preference – I just like to make sure I use a gammon with a nice layer of fat and skin, which we’ll remove later.”
Nevertheless, once the outer wrapping is removed, Harry advises keeping the netting on the meat. “It will hold everything together while it slow cooks,” he explained.
Following this, the chef took a carrot, snapped it in two and placed it alongside the joint, before adding black peppercorns and bay leaves for extra taste.
“Then just add your water, stick the lid on and slow cook,” Harry instructed. He proceeded to suggest: “Cover, or nearly cover, the gammon with water and slow Cook on high for 4-4.5 hours, or low for 7-8 hours.”
After completing this stage, it’s crucial to prepare your gammon and add a fitting glaze to finish. For this step, Harry suggests “keeping it simple” by combining honey (3 tbsp), brown sugar (1 tbsp) and mustard (1 tsp).
“Give it a stir and then you’ve got that lovely, thick glaze,” he enthused. “Next, carefully remove your gammon and remove the netting and then you’re going to remove the skin and cut back the fat so that you’ve got a thin, even layer.”
After trimming the fat to an appropriate thickness, Harry disclosed the following stage involves scoring a diamond design across the surface of the joint. “So, go one way and then just turn your knife or your gammon and go the other way,” he explained. “Then I just like to pat it dry so that the glaze just sticks to the outside a little bit better.”
Harry then brushed on the glaze before instructing his audience to “complete the process” using either an oven or air fryer. “Cover all over in the glaze and finish in a fan oven at 180°C for 20-30 mins, or air fry 170-180°C for 10-18 mins,” he advised. “Keep an eye on it and periodically add more glaze.”
To conclude, Harry recommends allowing the gammon to rest for approximately 10 minutes before slicing. He finished with clips of his delectable final result being carved whilst proclaiming: “Sweet, salty and perfect for Christmas.”
Additionally, he included a “top tip” in his video’s description: “Put a little bit of water in your oven tray or air fryer basket after cooking and mix it around for a lovely pour-over sauce!”
One TikTok user responded with their own tip, meanwhile, writing: “I cook my gammon in ginger beer slow for three hours, when it comes out it falls apart. The ginger beer makes it a bit sweeter so you don’t need a glaze. All the left over sauce I make an amazing gravy.”
While a second person shared: “I use a pork stock cube instead of water, gives it more of a smoked bacon taste. Pineapple juice or a dry cider works well too. (The alcohol cooks off so it’s safe for children or pregnant women too).”
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Dining and Cooking