‘Quickest method’ for slow cooker gammon gives ‘moist’ and ‘tasty’ results

Slow cooker recipes aren’t the quickest way to cook but they do leave plenty of time to do other things while the food heats up.

And for those craving roast gammon this weekend, a food blogger has shared an easy recipe anyone can follow.

Self proclaimed “kitchen gadget geek” Liana, founder of Liana’s Kitchen, claimed that her method was the “quickest” way to achieve perfect gammon.

She said: “You can keep the recipe super simple and literally just add the gammon and a little water. Or, you can add some additional ingredients to create some different tastes. Either way, the preparation time is very short.”

From cola to herbs and root vegetables, the avid home-cook revealed five versatile takes on her basic method.

Liana claimed that “the quickest method” for cooking gammon is to simply place the joint in the slow cooker and pour some water around it to the depth of two or three inches.

She said: “There is no need to put in any additional liquid. I like to put in a little at the bottom as I find it helps the gammon to come out a little more moist. But, if you don’t add any water to the slow cooker, the gammon won’t burn.”

For those that want a more flavoursome gammon joint, the chef recommended swapping water for cola.

She claimed that the meat won’t come out as sweet as some may think, so it is best to use full-fat versions of the carbonated drink for the strongest flavour.

Cider gammon is another take on this recipe, and is best done using 400-500ml of dry cider. According to Liana, this is “equally as tasty as the coke”.

She said: “Pour it over the gammon joint in the slow cooker. Add in some cloves, peppercorns and chopped up onions”.

Those looking for the apple flavour without the alcohol can substitute the cider for apple juice in the same quantity. Simply pour it in before leaving the meat to cook.

Liana’s final take on slow cooker gammon is to cook it with honey to form a sticky glaze. She said: “Just mix five tablespoons of honey with about 250ml of hot water to help the honey dissolve. You can also stir in some mustard.”

No matter what is used to flavour the gammon, the food blogger recommended cooking the meat on a low heat for six to eight hours. Alternatively, it can be slow-cooked on a high heat for four to five hours. 

When it comes to checking the meat is safe to eat, home cooks should insert a sharp knife inside the meat and pull it out.

If it is tough to remove or feels springy, Liana warned that the meat won’t be properly cooked and should be returned to the appliance to cook for longer.

She said: “You can either serve the gammon straight from the slow cooker, or add a glaze and cook it in an oven for 15 to 20 minutes… it does taste amazing!”