Updated 30 September 2026
A gammon joint is cured pork leg that you cook at home, and once it is cooked it becomes ham. It is one of the easiest joints to get right, as long as you get the timing and the glaze right. This guide covers how to prepare a gammon joint, how long to boil and roast it, when to glaze, and the oven-only and slow cooker methods if you would rather not boil.
Quick answer (1kg boneless gammon joint): simmer for about 1 hour, then glaze and roast at 200°C (180°C fan) for 20–25 minutes. Or roast from raw at 180°C (160°C fan), covered, for about 1 hour 10 minutes, then glaze and roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Gammon joint cooking times
The simplest rule for cooking a gammon joint is 20 minutes per 450g, plus 20 minutes, whether you boil or roast it. That works out at roughly 65–70 minutes for a 1kg joint. Then add 20–25 minutes in a hot oven to set the glaze.
| Joint weight | Simmer or covered roast | Glaze in a hot oven | Serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1kg | 1 hour–1 hour 10 minutes | 20–25 minutes | 4–6 |
| 1.5kg | 1 hour 25–35 minutes | 20–25 minutes | 6–8 |
| 2kg | 1 hour 50 minutes–2 hours | 25 minutes | 8–10 |
| 2 x 1kg joints | Cook side by side, same time as one 1kg joint | 20–25 minutes | 8–12 |
Two 1kg joints cooked side by side take the same time as one, because heat only has to reach the middle of each. That is handy at Christmas.
How to prepare a gammon joint
- Check the label. Most gammon today is mild-cured and does not need soaking. If you know your gammon is salty, or you just prefer it milder, soak it in cold water in the fridge overnight, or bring it to the boil in fresh water, tip that water away and start again.
- Leave the string on. It keeps the joint in shape while it cooks. Snip it off just before carving.
- Bring it up to room temperature for about 30 minutes while you get the pan or oven ready.
Method 1: boil then roast (the best way)
Boiling first keeps a gammon joint moist and seasons it gently; roasting at the end gives the sticky, glazed crust.
- Put the joint in a large pan and cover it with cold water, or half water and half apple juice or cider. Add an onion, a carrot, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns.
- Bring it slowly to the boil, skim off any foam, then turn it down to a gentle simmer. Do not let it bubble hard, or the meat tightens and dries. Cook for 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes: about 1 hour for a 1kg joint.
- Lift the joint out and let it sit for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6).
- Cut away any skin, leaving a thin, even layer of fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat.
- Put the joint in a foil-lined tin, brush over the glaze and roast for 20–25 minutes, brushing again halfway, until the fat is golden and sticky.
Keep the cooking liquid. It makes an excellent stock for pea and ham soup or lentils (taste it first, as it can be salty).
Method 2: oven only
If you do not want a pan of stock on the go, roast from raw. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4). Wrap the joint loosely in foil with a splash of water or cider in the tin, and roast for 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes. Unwrap it, remove the skin, score the fat and glaze, then turn the oven up to 200°C (180°C fan) and roast for a final 20 minutes.
Method 3: slow cooker
Put the joint in the slow cooker with a sliced onion and enough cider, apple juice or water to come a third of the way up. Cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3½–4 hours. Then remove the skin, glaze and finish in a hot oven for 15–20 minutes to colour the fat. There is a full method in how to cook a gammon joint in the slow cooker.
Boneless Gammon Joint 1kg £6.99 Shop now |
Three easy glazes
Glaze only at the end: sugar burns if it goes on too early.
- Honey and mustard: 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard.
- Marmalade: 4 tbsp thick-cut marmalade, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, a pinch of ground cloves.
- Brown sugar and pineapple: 3 tbsp dark brown sugar, 3 tbsp pineapple juice, 1 tsp mustard powder.
For Christmas, try our apricot and ginger glaze, or see honey glazed gammon joint.
How to tell when a gammon joint is cooked
Gammon stays pink when it is cooked because it is cured, so you cannot go by colour. Gammon is pork, and pork needs cooking through: the Food Standards Agency advises cooking it until it is steaming hot all the way through and the juices run clear. A probe thermometer takes the guesswork out; the FSA's benchmark for cooking meat through is a core temperature of 70°C held for two minutes. Rest the joint for 15 minutes before carving so the juices settle, then slice it as thick or thin as you like.
What to serve with a gammon joint
Hot: parsley sauce, mash or new potatoes, buttered cabbage and mustard. Cold: sandwiches with piccalilli, or with egg and chips the next day. Leftover gammon keeps for three days in the fridge and freezes well in portions.
Our Boneless Gammon Joint 1kg is £6.99 and feeds four to six. For a quick midweek alternative, Gammon Steak 2x 8oz (£6.99) cook in 10 minutes; see how to cook gammon steaks. Browse the full gammon range, or put together a Sunday roast.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Gammon joint FAQs
How long do you boil a 1kg gammon joint?
Simmer a 1kg gammon joint gently for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes (20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes), then glaze and roast at 200°C (180°C fan) for 20–25 minutes.
Do you have to soak a gammon joint before cooking?
Most gammon sold today is mild-cured and does not need soaking. If yours is salty, soak it overnight in cold water in the fridge, or bring it to the boil, discard the water and start again with fresh water.
Should you cover gammon in the oven?
Yes, while it cooks: wrap it loosely in foil so it does not dry out. Take the foil off for the last 20 minutes, once you have glazed it, so the fat can caramelise.
Why is my cooked gammon still pink?
Because it is cured. The curing salts keep gammon and ham pink even when fully cooked, so judge doneness by time, steaming-hot meat and clear juices, or with a probe thermometer.
Can you cook a gammon joint the day before?
Yes. Cook it, cool it quickly and keep it in the fridge overnight. Serve it cold, or glaze and warm it through in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 30–40 minutes, covered, until piping hot.
