Nothing looks better on a festive table at Christmas than a beautifully glazed gammon. If you have never attempted one before and it seems like a daunting task, follow my easy steps and you can present a succulent and mouth-watering roast for your friends and family to enjoy.
Gammon is a cut of pork, usually taken from the leg, which has been cured in brine and smoked.
It is available with or without a bone. Most common are boneless gammons which are easy to slice when cooked. These come enclosed in netting which is kept on during the cooking. Bone-in gammons have more flavour but are not as economical to slice.
To calculate how big a cut of meat you need to feed your guests, allow 175-200g per person. A 2kg joint will feed about 10 people, with some leftovers for sandwiches.
Gammon needs to be cooked. Cooking time is calculated at 30 minutes per 500g. It can be boiled in a pot on the stove or baked in the oven.
If your gammon has been in the freezer for some time, it is a good idea to soak it in cold water for a few hours before cooking to get rid of the excess saltiness.
APRICOT AND CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
This is the perfect accompaniment for your gammon. When bottled, it makes a great gift.
Makes 750ml
10 apricots, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
250g dried cranberries
250ml cider vinegar
60ml lemon juice
500ml light brown sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 50-60 minutes until mixture has reduced and thickened.
Remove from heat and add some more chopped apricots, if desired.
Bottle in sterilised jars and seal while hot.
* The apricots can be replaced with peaches.
CITRUS-GLAZED GAMMON
Serves 10-12
3-4kg gammon on the bone
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
15ml whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
enough water to partially cover
Glaze
250ml frozen unsweetened orange juice concentrate, defrosted
60ml honey
60ml soft brown sugar
5ml soy sauce
5ml Dijon mustard
50g butter
30ml orange liqueur
Place gammon in a large pan and cover with water. Add the vegetables, peppercorns and bay leaves, bring to the boil and simmer covered for 3-4 hours. Remove and cool slightly.
Remove rind and score the fat into a diamond pattern.
Place the gammon in a roasting pan, with about 500ml of the cooking liquid. Brush with the glaze and roast in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes. Baste halfway with more glaze.
Remove and rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Serve sliced with remaining glaze and orange slices.
GLAZE: Combine all the ingredients except the liqueur in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add the orange liqueur.
ASIAN GLAZED GAMMON WITH PLUMS
1.2kg boneless gammon
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
15ml whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
enough water to partially cover
whole cloves
10 plums, pitted and halved
Glaze
60ml plum sauce
60ml soy sauce
60ml hoisin sauce
60ml honey
5ml five-spice powder
Place the gammon, fat-side up, into a roasting pan and add the onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves and about 2 litres of water. Cover the pan with foil and cook in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes per 500g.
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Remove the netting.
Using a small sharp knife, remove the rind and score the fat lightly in a diamond pattern, then stud the centre of each diamond with a clove. Brush over the glaze and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with poached plums.
GLAZE: In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Poach the halved plums in the glaze for a few minutes.
CIDER-GLAZED GAMMON WITH BABY APPLES
2.2kg boneless gammon
330ml cider
500ml cloudy apple juice
2 sharp green apples, cored and cut into rough chunks
1 cinnamon stick
15ml coriander seeds
Glaze
30ml brown sugar
250ml cooking liquid from gammon
400g tin of baby apples, to serve
Place the gammon in a large saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove and cool slightly. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
Remove the rind and score the fat into diamonds. Brush with glaze and roast in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with poached baby apples.
GLAZE: In a pan, combine sugar with cooking liquid from the gammon and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until thickened.
Drain the apples and poach in the glaze for a few minutes. - Angela Day, The Star