How to cook gammon in the slow cooker
Gammon is one of those things that is ridiculously easy to cook in the slow cooker, which is probably why I make it this way rather than having another pan bubbling away on the hob.
You can keep it really simple or play around with the liquid you cook it in. I’ve included my Coca-Cola and Fanta versions below, but you certainly don’t have to cook gammon in fizzy pop! Apple juice, water and other flavourings can all work depending on what you fancy.
It’s particularly useful when I’m cooking for several people because I can get the gammon started earlier in the day and then concentrate on everything else. Around Christmas that’s even more useful when there never seems to be enough hob or oven space for everything I apparently decided we needed!
Leftovers don’t exactly cause a problem either. Cold gammon is great in sandwiches and salads, with jacket potatoes or simply picked at from the fridge when nobody can quite decide what they want for lunch.
So, if you’ve got a gammon joint and a slow cooker, here’s how I cook mine and some of the different variations you can try.
How long does gammon take in the slow cooker?
For the gammon joints I’ve cooked this way, I allow around 6–8 hours on LOW.
The exact time will depend on the size and shape of your joint and your particular slow cooker, so don’t rely entirely on the clock. A small joint isn’t necessarily going to need exactly the same time as a much larger one.
The safest way to know your gammon is ready is to check that it has reached a safe internal temperature in the thickest part using a meat thermometer rather than simply deciding that eight hours must mean it’s done.
I find LOW works particularly well for gammon because I can get it cooking earlier in the day and then largely forget about it until later.
How I cook a basic gammon joint in the slow cooker
You don’t have to cook gammon in Coke, Fanta or anything particularly exciting. If you simply want tender gammon that you can serve with dinner or leave to cool and slice, keep it simple.
Put the gammon joint into the slow cooker with some onion, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns if you have them.
Add enough liquid for your particular recipe and slow cooker. Water is perfectly fine, although apple juice can add a little sweetness if you prefer.
Put the lid on and cook the gammon on LOW for around 6–8 hours, depending on the size of the joint and your slow cooker.
Once it’s cooked, carefully lift the gammon out and leave it to rest before slicing. If you’re planning to eat it cold, let it cool safely before putting it into the fridge.
That’s really all there is to it. You can add extra flavours if you want them, but you don’t need a cupboard full of ingredients just to cook a nice piece of gammon.
Slow cooker Coca-Cola gammon
Cooking gammon in Coca-Cola sounds slightly bizarre until you’ve tried it, but it’s become a really popular way of making slow cooker gammon.
The cola adds sweetness while the gammon cooks, which works particularly well with the salty meat.
I use a gammon joint with cola, onion, garlic, a bay leaf and some black peppercorns. Put everything into the slow cooker and cook on LOW for around 6–8 hours, checking that the gammon is thoroughly cooked before serving.
Once it’s ready, carefully remove the gammon from the slow cooker and leave it to rest before slicing.
If you want an actual sticky glaze on the outside, I’d finish the cooked gammon separately rather than simply pouring the slow-cooker liquid over it. A little mustard and sweetness brushed over the outside before briefly finishing it in the oven can give you that lovely sticky exterior.
If you don’t want to bother with that, don’t! Slow-cooked gammon is perfectly nice without turning it into another job.
Ingredients:
- 1 gammon joint
- 1 litre of Diet Coca-Cola (regular Coca-Cola works too)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 5-6 black peppercorns
Instructions:
- Put the gammon joint in your slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns on top of the gammon.
- Pour the entire bottle of Coca-Cola over the gammon, ensuring it’s mostly covered. Add more Cola or a bit of water if needed for full submersion.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the gammon is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Once done, remove the gammon carefully and transfer it to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes.
- While the gammon rests, strain the liquid from the slow cooker to remove the onions, garlic, and spices. You can save the liquid to use as a delicious sauce.
- Slice the gammon and serve it with your preferred side dishes.
Slow cooker Fanta gammon
If Coca-Cola gammon isn’t unusual enough for you, you can cook gammon in Fanta too!
I use orange Fanta with fresh orange, cloves, cinnamon and thyme, which gives this version a much more citrusy flavour. It’s one I’d be particularly tempted to make around Christmas because orange and cloves immediately make everything feel a bit more festive.
Put the gammon into the slow cooker with the Fanta and flavourings, then cook on LOW for around 6–8 hours.
Once it’s thoroughly cooked, carefully lift it out and allow it to rest before slicing.
You can experiment with other fizzy drinks too, but I wouldn’t assume that every random can lurking at the back of the cupboard is automatically going to make brilliant gammon. I’m not taking responsibility if you decide bubblegum-flavoured energy drink gammon sounds revolutionary!
Ingredients:
- 1 gammon joint
- 1 litre of Fanta Zero Orange
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 3 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Put the gammon joint in your slow cooker.
- Combine the Fanta, orange zest, orange juice, cloves, cinnamon sticks, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Pour this mixture over the gammon.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the gammon is tender and thoroughly cooked.
- Once the gammon is done, carefully remove it and let it rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.
- While the gammon rests, strain the cooking liquid to remove the spices and herbs.
- Slice the gammon and serve it with your choice of sides.
Do I need to soak gammon before putting it in the slow cooker?
Not necessarily.
Some gammon can be quite salty, while other joints are much milder. Have a look at the instructions on the joint you’ve bought because the producer may give specific preparation advice.
If you’re particularly sensitive to salty food or you’ve bought a gammon you know is very salty, soaking it in cold water beforehand may help. Another option with some gammon joints is briefly bringing them to the boil in fresh water and discarding that water before continuing with your recipe.
I wouldn’t automatically soak every piece of gammon I buy, though. I’d base it on the particular joint and the instructions rather than adding an unnecessary step every time.
Smoked or unsmoked gammon – which is better?
Either can be cooked in the slow cooker, so this mostly comes down to which flavour you prefer.
Smoked gammon obviously has a stronger smoky flavour, while unsmoked is a little more neutral and lets whatever you’ve added to the slow cooker stand out more.
For something like the Fanta and orange version, I quite like the idea of letting those flavours do the work, whereas a smoked joint can be lovely when you’re keeping everything else simple.
If you’re not sure, buy whichever you’d normally choose when cooking gammon another way. There’s no special slow-cooker rule that says you suddenly need to change teams!
Does gammon need to be covered with liquid in the slow cooker?
One of the things to remember with a slow cooker is that very little moisture escapes while the lid is on. The meat will also release some liquid as it cooks.
That means you don’t necessarily need to fill the slow cooker to the top with liquid simply because you might completely cover gammon when simmering it in a saucepan.
How much you use will depend on the particular recipe, the size of your joint and your slow cooker. Follow the quantities in the recipe you’re making rather than automatically adding extra liquid until the meat disappears underneath it.
What should I serve with slow cooker gammon?
For a traditional dinner, I’d serve warm gammon with potatoes and vegetables. Mash is lovely with it, but roast potatoes work just as well if the oven is already on.
Jacket potatoes are another easy option, especially if you don’t want to turn dinner into a full roast.
Around Christmas I’d happily serve gammon with my slow cooker red cabbage, roast potatoes and whatever other festive bits we’ve somehow decided are essential.
It doesn’t have to be a big dinner, though. Let the gammon cool and you’ve suddenly got something useful for sandwiches, salads and lunches for the next couple of days.
That’s one of the reasons I don’t mind cooking a decent-sized joint – leftovers are very rarely difficult to use.
What can I make with leftover gammon?
Leftover gammon is possibly more useful than the original dinner.
Slice it for sandwiches, chop it into a salad, have it with a jacket potato or add some to another meal. It’s also lovely with eggs for breakfast or brunch.
You could chop leftovers into smaller pieces and add them to soup, pasta or a potato dish too.
If you’ve made far more than you’re likely to eat, freezing some can be more useful than spending four days trying to put gammon into absolutely everything.
Cool and store leftovers safely and follow current Food Standards Agency guidance for refrigeration, freezing and reheating.
More slow cooker recipes to try
If you’ve got your slow cooker out, have a look through all my healthy slow cooker recipes for plenty more ideas. I’ve got everything from chicken curry and sausage casserole to pulled pork, chilli and a few desserts.
I’ve also collected together my favourite autumn slow cooker recipes if you’re looking for warming meals for the colder months.
And if you’re making gammon around Christmas, have a look at my slow cooker red cabbage too. The two work really well together and, perhaps more importantly, that’s two things you can cook without fighting for space in the oven!
