Simple Roast Gammon with Brown Sugar Glaze

Is it possible you’ve forgotten just how great gammon can be?

Gammon is delicious served hot with creamy mash, cold in a sandwich, sliced for picky bits, or used through the week for easy lunches. It is versatile, cost effective, and actually very simple to cook.

This simple roast gammon recipe only needs a few ingredients: a gammon joint, apple juice, brown sugar and a little water.

No complicated glaze. No soaking in a bucket. No faff.

Just tender roast gammon with a sweet, sticky brown sugar finish.

What Is Roast Gammon?

Roast gammon is a gammon joint cooked in the oven until tender.

Gammon is cured pork, usually cut from the hind leg of the pig. It is sold raw, which means it must be cooked before eating.

Once gammon has been cooked, it becomes ham. So if you roast a gammon joint, let it cool, and slice it for sandwiches, you have effectively made your own ham.

Why Make Your Own Roast Gammon?

Cooking your own gammon joint instead of buying pre-cooked ham can be really cost effective.

Lots of our customers buy a gammon slipper or corning joint to cook at the weekend, then use it for dinners, sandwiches, salads, toasties and packed lunches throughout the week.

You get a proper joint of meat, you control the flavour, and you get the smug satisfaction of opening the fridge and knowing there’s homemade ham waiting for you.

Do You Need to Soak Gammon Before Roasting?

Usually, no.

Soaking gammon is a way of removing excess salt from the meat. Years ago, it was more common because some cures were much saltier.

Most modern gammon is milder and produced to a consistent specification. The gammon we sell at True Bites is mild cured, unless clearly stated otherwise, and does not usually need soaking.

That being said, there can be exceptions. If you are using home-cured gammon or a stronger cure from another butcher, ask whether it needs soaking before cooking.

Do You Need to Add Water to Gammon?

Yes, it is a good idea to add some liquid when roasting gammon.

Gammon can be fairly lean, so adding liquid to the dish helps stop the meat drying out and helps keep it tender.

You can use plain water, but fruit juice works really well. Apple juice, pineapple juice or orange juice all suit gammon because the sweetness balances the saltiness of the meat.

For this recipe, we use apple juice because it is simple, easy and works brilliantly with the brown sugar glaze.

Simple Roast Gammon Ingredients

• 1 gammon slipper joint, around 1kg to 1.5kg
• 60g brown sugar
• 250ml apple juice
• A splash of water, around 200ml

How to Cook Simple Roast Gammon

1. Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 2, 150°C, or 130°C fan.
2. Place the gammon in a lidded oven dish.
3. Brush the gammon with apple juice, making sure to cover the whole joint.
4. Let the juice sit on the gammon for a few minutes, then brush again.
5. Add the remaining apple juice and a splash of water to the bottom of the dish.
6. Cover with the lid and place in the oven.
7. Cook for around 2 hours.
8. Around 20 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the gammon from the oven.
9. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the joint.
10. Return the gammon to the oven uncovered at Gas Mark 3, 160°C, or 140°C fan.
11. Cook for another 20 minutes, or until the sugar has caramelised and gone sticky.
12. Rest before slicing and serving.

How Long Does Roast Gammon Take?

A 1kg to 1.5kg gammon joint usually takes around 2 hours to roast gently, plus another 20 minutes uncovered to caramelise the brown sugar glaze.

The exact cooking time will depend on the size and shape of your gammon joint.

How Can You Tell If Gammon Is Cooked?

Gammon firms up when it is cooked.

A simple check is to insert a knife or skewer into the centre of the meat. If the joint still feels very springy, it may need longer.

The best way to check is with a meat thermometer. Gammon should reach at least 75°C at the deepest part of the joint.

Can You Roast Gammon Without Boiling It First?

Yes, you can roast gammon without boiling it first.

Although gammon is often boiled, roasting works really well, especially if you cook it gently with some liquid in the dish.

This recipe uses apple juice and water to keep the gammon moist while it roasts, then brown sugar at the end for a sticky finish.

What If You Don’t Have a Lidded Dish?

If you do not have a deep enough lidded dish, use a roasting tray and cover the gammon loosely with kitchen foil.

Try not to wrap the foil too tightly around the meat, because it can stick when you come to add the glaze.

If using foil, check the liquid level during cooking. Some moisture will escape through evaporation, so add a little more water if the tray starts to dry out.

Can You Cook Gammon in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, gammon cooks brilliantly in the slow cooker.

If you have a hectic day ahead, you can cook the gammon slowly, then finish it in the oven with the brown sugar glaze.

Cook the gammon in the slow cooker until tender, then remove it, sprinkle over the brown sugar, and finish in the oven at Gas Mark 6, 200°C, or 180°C fan for around 20 minutes.

That gives you the sticky, caramelised finish, which is well worth the extra step.

For a sweeter slow cooker version, try our slow cooker gammon in Coke.

Is It Better to Boil or Roast Gammon?

It depends what you want.

If you want a simple, traditional gammon flavour without much added sweetness, boiling works well.

If you want a sticky, sweet glaze and a more roasted finish, roasting is the better choice.

This simple roast gammon gives you tender meat with a sweet brown sugar glaze, without needing a complicated recipe.

What Goes with Roast Gammon?

Roast gammon works with loads of sides.

Good options include creamy mash, roast potatoes, chips, cabbage, peas, roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes, cauliflower cheese, egg and chips, coleslaw or salad.

If you want a proper gammon condiment, cheese sauce is hard to beat.

Cold roast gammon is also brilliant in sandwiches, toasties, wraps, salads and lunchboxes.

Browse our gammon collection or full pork range for more ideas.

Tips for Simple Roast Gammon

• Use a mild-cure gammon joint if you do not want to soak it first.
• Add liquid to the dish to help keep the gammon moist.
• Apple juice works well because it balances the saltiness.
• Cook covered first so the gammon stays tender.
• Add the brown sugar near the end so it caramelises without burning.
• Use a meat thermometer if you want to be sure it is cooked.
• Rest the gammon before slicing.
• Save leftovers for sandwiches.

Final Thoughts

Simple roast gammon is one of those recipes that proves good food does not need to be complicated.

A gammon joint, apple juice, brown sugar and a little water are enough to make a proper meal that works hot or cold.

Serve it with mash, chips, vegetables, cheese sauce, or slice it cold for sandwiches through the week.

Simple, useful, and far better than forgetting gammon exists.

FAQs

How do you cook simple roast gammon?

Place the gammon in a lidded dish with apple juice and water, cook covered at 150°C, or 130°C fan, for around 2 hours, then add brown sugar and roast uncovered for another 20 minutes.

Do you need to soak gammon before roasting?

Most mild-cure gammon joints do not need soaking. Stronger cured or home-cured gammon may need soaking, so ask your butcher if you are unsure.

Can you roast gammon without boiling it?

Yes, gammon can be roasted without boiling first. Cook it gently with some liquid in the dish to keep it moist.

What temperature should gammon be cooked to?

Gammon should reach at least 75°C at the deepest part of the joint.

What liquid should you add to roast gammon?

You can use water, but apple juice, orange juice or pineapple juice work well because they add sweetness and help balance the saltiness of the gammon.

Can you cook gammon in the slow cooker?

Yes, gammon can be cooked in the slow cooker, then finished in the oven with brown sugar for a sticky glaze.

What do you serve with roast gammon?

Roast gammon works well with mash, chips, roast potatoes, vegetables, cheese sauce, coleslaw, egg and chips, or cold in sandwiches.