Description
Succulent gammon in cider sings with British culinary tradition, blending sweet apple notes and savory pork. Slow-cooked to tender perfection, you’ll savor each richly glazed, mouthwatering bite of this classic comfort dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Meat Ingredient:
- 1 boneless gammon joint (2 kilograms / 4.4 pounds)
Liquid and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 liter dry cider (33.8 fluid ounces)
- 50 grams honey (1.8 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Cold water (to top up)
Spices and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 star anise
- 12 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 100 grams dark brown sugar (3.5 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- Handful of cloves
Instructions
- Submerge gammon in a generous blend of cider, aromatic spices, and sliced onion within a spacious cooking vessel, ensuring complete liquid coverage.
- Bring liquid to a vigorous boil, carefully removing any foam that surfaces, then reduce to a gentle simmer for approximately 80 minutes.
- Allow gammon to rest and cool completely within the cooking liquid for 60 minutes, enhancing its tenderness and flavor absorption.
- Preheat the oven to a high temperature of 220°C, preparing for the final roasting stage.
- Carefully remove the protective skin layer, creating elegant diagonal scoring across the fat surface, and strategically insert whole cloves into the diamond-shaped patterns.
- Craft a glossy glaze mixture, then generously brush half the preparation over the prepared gammon surface.
- Roast the gammon in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, periodically reapplying the remaining glaze midway through cooking to ensure a rich, caramelized exterior.
- After removing from the oven, let the gammon rest for 20 minutes, allowing internal juices to redistribute, which ensures a succulent result whether serving warm or preparing for a chilled presentation.
Notes
- Choose a high-quality, dry cider with robust apple flavor to enhance the gammon’s richness and depth.
- Remove excess salt by soaking gammon overnight in cold water before cooking, ensuring a perfectly balanced taste.
- Test meat’s doneness by inserting a skewer into thickest part – clear juices indicate the gammon is perfectly cooked.
- Customize glaze with alternative sweeteners like maple syrup or honey for different flavor profiles and dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 269 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg