My Slow Cooker Gammon In Cider recipe makes easy work of cooking a gammon joint. Slowly braised with fragrant whole spices and apple cider on a bed of vegetables before finishing with a simple maple glaze.
This moist and tender, full of flavour easy Slow Cooker Gammon is perfect for Christmas Day or a Sunday roast.
Guaranteed to become your favourite way of cooking your Christmas ham. The slow cooker makes it stress free, leaving plenty of time to spend with family and guests outside the kitchen. Oh, and did I mention plenty of stove top or oven room for all your side dishes ? It’s a win win situation.
Here at the Kitchen Shed, it wouldn’t be Christmas without my Slow Cooker Gammon. An established family favourite, especially the sticky maple glaze, I usually cook a 2kg gammon joint so we have leftovers. That way there’s enough for Leftover Turkey and Ham Pie and Slow Cooker Pea and Ham Soup.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Here’s why this is the Best Slow Cooker Gammon Recipe.
- Easy and effortless – it’s a foolproof gammon recipe made with a handful of ingredients. Five minutes prep time, leave the slow cooker to work its magic and you have the best Slow Cooker Gammon.
- Guaranteed favourite – cooking in cider, aromatic herbs and spices transforms a gammon joint into delicious, tender and succulent cooked ham. It’s a real crowd pleaser and easy on the pocket too.
- No waste – leftovers can be frozen and the cooking liquid used in soups and stews.
What equipment do I need ?
- Slow Cooker or CrockPot – you will need a 6.5 litre or 6 quart slow cooker for a 2 kg gammon joint.
What ingredients do I need ?
For full details of quantities scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vegetables – I used carrot, onion and celery to form a trivet and add flavour.
- Black peppercorns – adds a little heat.
- Bay leaves – you can use fresh or dried.
- Allspice berries – a Kitchen Shed favourite because it’s fiery, sweet and spicy all at the same time.
- Cinnamon – I’ve used Ceylon cinnamon for its light, mildly spiced sweetness and citrusy flavour.
- Gammon – I used boneless and unsmoked, but you could choose bone-in and smoked, depending on your preference. If you choose a bone-in gammon joint check for cooking times as it will take longer to cook.
- Cider – I used dry cider. Alternatively, use apple juice instead of cider.
Maple Glaze Ingredients
- French mustard – I’ve used a mild Dijon mustard.
- Maple syrup – compliments the saltiness of the ham.
How to make Slow Cooker Gammon in Cider
- Cut your vegetables and place in the slow cooker.
- Place your gammon joint on top of the veg and pop in your spices and bay leaves.
- Pour in the cider and water – you don’t have to completely cover the gammon with liquid. Nearly all of any evaporated liquid condenses on the slow cooker lid and returns to the pot. You don’t want to fill the slow cooker more than 2/3 full.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- Remove the ham and vegetables from the slow cooker and set aside to cool slightly.
- Don’t waste the braising liquid, it makes an excellent stock. The stock will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Remove the rind and some of the fat from the gammon joint using a small sharp knife. Leave a relatively thin layer of fat intact.
- Lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern.
- Place the gammon joint on top of the cooked vegetables in a foil lined roasting tin.
- Mix the maple syrup and French mustard together and spread half over the scored fat.
- Roast for 15 minutes before spreading with the remaining glaze and returning to the oven for a further 15 minutes.
- Rest before carving and then serving with roast potatoes and vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
Use a knife to insert into the centre of the meat and pull it out again. If the knife comes out easily without resistance then the gammon is ready. Alternatively, insert a food thermometer into the centre of the meat: it should read at least 71 C / 160 F. Bear in mind the meat will continue cooking as it rests and the temperature will increase a few degrees.
You can’t really overcook gammon in a slow cooker. However, the longer it’s cooked, the more like pulled ham it will become and you won’t be able to slice it easily.
No. Gammon sold in supermarkets is generally plastic wrapped whereas when bought from the local butchers it isn’t. You must remove the plastic wrapping if your gammon joint is supplied this way. But not to be confused with the netting you find on gammon joints. It’s important to leave this on as it keeps the boneless gammon joint from unrolling. Traditional local butchers tend to use string rather than netting.
How long will it keep ?
Your Slow Cooker Gammon joint will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days when wrapped in greaseproof paper and an outer layer of foil. Or keep slices of ham in a sealed container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Leftovers can be frozen in appropriate containers for up to 3 months.
How to serve
- Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes and Slow Cooked Red Cabbage
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Crispy Oven Chips and egg for a classic ham, egg and chips.
- We also like to serve cold slow cooked gammon as a sandwich between a couple of slices of homemade crusty bread. Add a spoon of homemade chutney and you’re all set.
What To Do With Leftover Gammon
- Makes the best Pea and Ham Soup. Use the retained gammon cooking liquid as a stock.
- We love it in our Leftover Turkey and Ham Pie.
- Freeze in individual slices for up to 3 months.
- Makes a tasty pizza topping.
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Slow Cooker Gammon in Cider
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or CrockPot – you will need a 6.5 litre or 6 quart slow cooker for a 2 kg gammon joint.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick / stalk
- 2 kg boneless unsmoked gammon joint
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp allspice berries
- cinnamon stick – about 1cm ⅜” long
- 500 ml cider – I used dry cider
- 1 litre water
Maple Glaze
- 2 tbs French mustard
- 4 tbs Maple syrup
Instructions
- Cut the onion horizontally to give three evenly thick slices. Chop the carrot and celery into 3 or 4 pieces of about the same length.
- Lay the vegetables in the slow cooker to form a trivet and then place the gammon on top.
- Add the peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and bay leaves around the gammon joint.
- Pour in the cider and the water.
- Place the lid on and cook on HIGH for 4 – 6 hours or on LOW for 6 – 8 hours.
- Remove the ham and vegetables from the slow cooker and set aside to slightly cool for 10 to 15 minutes. (The braising liquid can be kept for use as a stock on another occasion)
- Pre heat the oven to 200C / 180C Fan / 400F.
- Use a small sharp knife to carefully remove the rind and some of the fat from the gammon joint. Leave an approximately 1cm / ⅜” thick layer of fat intact.
- Whilst not cutting too deeply, lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern.
- Place the cooked vegetables on a baking tray lined with foil and rest the gammon on top of the vegetables.
- Mix the glaze ingredients together and spread half onto the scored fat.
- Roast in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes before covering with the remainder of the glaze. Roast for a further 15 minutes.
- Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
- Type of gammon joint – I prefer boneless and unsmoked, but you could choose bone-in and smoked, depending on your preference. If you choose a bone-in gammon joint check for cooking times as it will take longer to cook.
- Liquid – there is no need to completely cover the gammon with liquid as a slow cooker lid restricts evaporation. Any evaporated liquid condenses on the slow cooker lid and returns to the pot. This slow cooker gammon recipe uses 500ml of cider and 1litre of water. Alternatively, use apple juice instead of cider.
- Checking it is cooked – use a knife to insert into the centre of the meat and pull it out again. If the knife comes out easily without resistance then the gammon is ready. Alternatively, insert a food thermometer into the centre of the meat. The temperature should be at least 71 C / 160 F. Whilst resting the meat, cooking will continue and the temperature increase by a few degrees.
- Serve with – roast potatoes and vegetables or homemade chips and eggs or as part of a buffet dish
- Storing – wrapped well, this will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Janie
Monday 6th of November 2023
I was wondering what gammon was but it's another name for ham! I'm going to try this cause my filipino fam loves anything pork! Plus, I love the idea of using maple and mustard together.
Sarah James
Monday 6th of November 2023
Hi Janie, you're right ham and gammon are the same thing, I think gammon is uncooked ham but you see both words used even when it's cooked. The maple and mustard is delicious, do let me know how you get on, Sarah.
Anjali
Monday 6th of November 2023
This looks so hearty, filling and satisfying!! Perfect for a cozy winter dinner, and love that it can be made in the slow cooker too!
Sarah James
Monday 6th of November 2023
Thanks Anjali, it certainly is a hearty dish.
Andrea
Monday 6th of November 2023
What a fantastic slow cooker recipe. The flavors sound marvelous and the gammon looks so tender and delicious.
Sarah James
Monday 6th of November 2023
Thanks Andrea, the gammon is extra tender because it's cooked in the slow cooker.
Sara Welch
Monday 6th of November 2023
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; definitely, a new favorite dish!
Sarah James
Monday 6th of November 2023
Thanks Sara, i'm so pleased to hear that gammon in the slow cooker has become a new favourite meal for you. It's definitely an easy meal to do for dinner, I like to put i on in the morning and come home to a cooked gammon and all I have to do is prepare some veggies.
Beth
Monday 6th of November 2023
I have never in my life had gammon, but I am going to change that! Thanks for the recipe and tips.
Sarah James
Monday 6th of November 2023
Hi Beth, it's always a pleasure to share my recipes. I hope you enjoy Slow Cooker Gammon as much as we do, Sarah.