Summer Gammon Recipes: Easy Ways to Serve British Gammon
Gammon might be best known as part of a traditional roast dinner, but it deserves a place on the summer table too.
Cook one proper British gammon joint and you have the makings of several easy meals, from gammon and egg with chips to cold sandwiches, picnic plates, salads, and a generous Ploughman’s lunch.
Serve it hot on the first day, slice it cold the next, and keep everyone well fed without spending the whole week cooking.
What Is Gammon?
Gammon is a cured cut from the hind leg of pork. It is sold uncooked and becomes ham once it has been cooked.
That is why you will often see a gammon joint served hot with egg, chips, roast potatoes, or vegetables, then sliced and enjoyed as ham once it has cooled.
It is a practical choice for summer entertaining because one joint can become the centrepiece of several completely different meals.
How to Cook a Gammon Joint
Always follow the cooking directions provided with your gammon, as the time will depend on the joint’s weight and preparation.
Gammon can usually be:
- Roasted in the oven
- Simmered gently, then glazed and roasted
- Cooked in a slow cooker
- Sliced into steaks and grilled or fried
Once cooked, allow the gammon to rest before carving. Refrigerate any leftovers promptly and enjoy them cold in sandwiches, salads, and picnic lunches.
Gammon, Egg and Chips
It would be wrong to begin anywhere else.
Gammon, egg and chips is a proper British pub favourite, and it is just as good served in
the garden on a sunny evening.
You Will Need
- Thick slices of cooked gammon
- Eggs
- Thick-cut chips
- Garden peas or grilled tomatoes
- Pineapple rings, optional
- English mustard or brown sauce
To Serve
Warm or grill the gammon slices until lightly browned around the edges.
Top each portion with a fried egg and serve with hot chips. Add peas, grilled tomatoes, or a pineapple ring for the full pub-style plate.
The only real decision is whether the egg goes on top of the gammon or beside it.
Cold Gammon Sandwiches
Once the gammon has cooled, slice it thinly and treat it exactly as you would a good British ham.
A cold gammon sandwich works best when the fillings stay simple.
Try It With
- Fresh white bread and butter
- English mustard
- Branston Pickle
- Piccalilli
- Salad cream
- Sliced tomato
- Mature Cheddar
- Pickled onions on the side
For a proper picnic sandwich, pile sliced gammon onto thick white bread with butter and a generous swipe of English mustard.
Gammon Ploughman’s Lunch
A Ploughman’s requires very little effort and absolutely no cooking once the gammon is ready.
Arrange thick slices of cold gammon on a board with:
- Mature Cheddar
- Crusty bread or fresh rolls
- Branston Pickle
- Pickled onions
- Apple wedges
- Grapes
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Salad leaves
- English mustard
Add a pork pie if you are feeding a crowd, then serve everything in the middle of the table and let people help themselves.
A cold drink alongside it does no harm either.
Gammon and Potato Salad
Cold gammon is brilliant in a simple potato salad and makes it substantial enough to serve as a complete summer lunch.
You Will Need
- Cooked new potatoes
- Cold gammon, cut into strips or chunks
- Spring onions
- Chopped parsley
- Mayonnaise
- A little English mustard
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Mix the mayonnaise with a small spoonful of mustard.
Fold through the cooled potatoes, gammon, spring onions, and parsley. Season to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add chopped boiled eggs or peas to stretch it a little further.
Gammon, Pea and Pasta Salad
This is ideal for picnics, barbecues, and easy packed lunches.
You Will Need
- Cooked pasta
- Diced cold gammon
- Garden peas
- Spring onions
- Grated Cheddar
- Mayonnaise or salad cream
- Black pepper
Method
Allow the cooked pasta to cool completely, then mix it with the gammon, peas, spring onions, and cheese.
Add enough mayonnaise or salad cream to coat everything lightly, season with black pepper, and chill before serving.
Gammon and Pineapple Skewers
Gammon and pineapple is a classic combination, and it works particularly well on the barbecue.
Thread cubes of cooked gammon and pineapple onto skewers, then brush them lightly with a mixture of honey and English mustard.
Grill briefly until the edges begin to caramelise, turning regularly.
Because the gammon is already cooked, you are only heating it through and adding colour. Serve the skewers with salad, bread rolls, or grilled vegetables.
Gammon and Egg Picnic Rolls
For an easy picnic lunch, fill soft white rolls with:
- Sliced cold gammon
- Sliced boiled egg
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Salad cream or mayonnaise
- A little black pepper
Wrap the rolls individually and keep them chilled until you are ready to eat.
Simple, filling, and much better than another disappointing supermarket sandwich.
What Goes Well With Gammon?
Gammon works with far more than eggs and chips.
Try serving it with:
- English mustard
- Parsley sauce
- Pineapple
- Piccalilli
- Branston Pickle
- Pickled onions
- Potato salad
- Coleslaw
- Fresh bread
- Garden peas
- Fried or boiled eggs
- Mature Cheddar
Its salty, savoury flavour is particularly good with something sharp, sweet, or tangy alongside it.
One Joint, Several Summer Meals
The best thing about a gammon joint is how far it goes.
Serve it hot with egg and chips, slice it cold for sandwiches, add it to a Ploughman’s, or turn the leftovers into salads and picnic food.
It is proper British food without a great deal of fuss, and once it is cooked, half the week’s lunches are already sorted.
Shop British Gammon in America
Parker’s British gammon is perfect for pub-style gammon and egg, cold summer sandwiches, Ploughman’s lunches, picnics, and family meals.
Cook it once, enjoy it hot, then slice the rest as ham for the days ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between gammon and ham?
Gammon is cured pork that is sold uncooked. Once the gammon has been cooked, it can be served and used as ham.
Can you eat cooked gammon cold?
Yes. Once properly cooked, cooled, and refrigerated, gammon can be sliced and enjoyed cold in sandwiches, salads, picnic lunches, and grazing boards.
What sauce goes with gammon?
English mustard, parsley sauce, piccalilli, Branston Pickle, and salad cream all pair well with gammon. Pineapple is another popular accompaniment.
What can I make with leftover gammon?
Use leftover gammon in sandwiches, potato salad, pasta salad, omelettes, quiche, Ploughman’s lunches, or gammon and pineapple skewers.
Comments (0)
There are no comments for this article. Be the first one to leave a message!