OK, so, this is an odd one for me. This is a recipe that I like, but shouldn’t. Why? Well, I can’t stand the taste of ham. Bacon, Love it! Gammon Steaks, Great, but ham, bleurgh!

One Christmas I had my arm twisted to cook a gammon cooked in cola. Nigella has a great recipe for this. See here.

Anyway, begrudgingly I made it and tasted it, as you do when you’re the cook and low and behold it was delicious! Congratulations Nigella, you convinced a ‘ham-o-phobe’ to think again about gammon.

Over the last couple of years, my recipe has evolved to what it is today. So here it is.

Ingredients

• 1 Unsmoked gammon joint
• 1 Can tinned cherries in syrup
• 1-2 onions
• 2 Sticks of celery
• 2 Medium Carrots
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Bouquet garnet
• 1 Cherry Coke (enough to cover joint)
• 1 tsp grain mustard
• A knob of butter

Method

For the Gammon

1. Heat slow cooker
2. Add all ingredients (coke to cover)
3. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
4. Remove Gammon on Slow Cooker to rest
5. To add a little colour to the joint pop it into the oven while you make the sauce

For the Sauce

1. Drain the contents slow cooker and remove veg from cooking liquid, save the cherries as you do this.
2. Pour the liquid into a medium saucepan.
3. Add the cherries you have saved to the saucepan
4. Cook on medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced by half.
5. Add a teaspoon full of grain mustard
6. Add a little butter to “monté au beurre.” (For a definition see here)
7. Thicken with cornflour or chicken gravy granules.

Serving

Serve with the sauce along with new potatoes, chips and other veggies. Keep it simple, the flavour of this packs a punch.