This Bonfire Gammon Stew recipe gives you perfectly cooked gammon meat and is so easy, chuck it all in and enjoy the delicious scent it produces!
Gammon Joint slowly cooked with beans, vegetables, onions, garlic, tomato puree, mustard, herbs & spices.
We provide instructions for Oven, Pressure cooker and Slow cooker. Our favourite and by far quickest method is Pressure Cooker!
Click the button below to jump straight to the recipe.
Why is it called Bonfire Gammon Stew?
We named it ourselves, as we first created it on Fireworks Night (Guy Fawkes). Sadly we have to stay in with our dogs, one of which is petrified! So we like to make this and tuck in whilst watching the fireworks through the window!!
Why is cooking together good?
Well, all hands were on deck with this Bonfire Gammon Stew.
Who needs Fortnite LOL!! What a great bonding session with my boy, here he is helping me and Kay with prepping this fantastic Bonfire stew for fireworks night.
My boy doing a cracking job cutting the mushrooms, food blogger in the making.
Do I need to soak gammon joint?
Soaking the gammon joint in water overnight before cooking the stew will reduce the salt levels.
Generally, the joints in the UK are not too salty so you can skip this step.
Just rinse in cold water and season with black pepper before placing in the pressure cooker pot.
How to prepare Gammon Stew?
It is so easy, simply place all the ingredients in the pressure cooker pot / slow cooker pot/ casserole dish.
Give it a good stir before placing your gammon joint on top.
It will look quite dry at this point, however the gammon retains alot of liquid which will be released when cooked.
So don't be tempted to add any water/stock.
Place lid on and cook for allocated time.
How long to cook 1.5 kg Gammon joint in a Stew?
Our favourite way to prepare this dish is in a pressure cooker. However we have given you directions for slow cooker or oven method too.
The below times are based on a 1.5kg Gammon Joint allow extra time for larger joints (extra 30 min per extra kg)
Pressure cooker is the quickest method it will take just over 1 hr.
Oven method will take about 3 hours.
Slow cooker will take 6-7 hours.
Why does my stew look watery?
After removing the lid to the Bonfire gammon stew, don't panic if it looks watery.
After you have shredded all the gammon then stirred it all together, it will thicken up perfectly.
If you want to thicken stew more you can mix warm water and cornflour together and stir through the hot stew at the end stir for about 2 minutes and keep adding a bit at a time until at desired consistency.
Served in Giant Yorkshire pudding which not only does it look good but at the same time it soaks up all the flavours of the stew.
Bonfire gammon stew, served in Giant Yorkshire pudding, absolutely fantastic and everyone loved it.
As you can see from this picture the juices are beautifully soaked up by the Yorkshire pudding, lush!!!
What to serve with Gammon stew?
๐ Step by Step Recipe
Bonfire Gammon Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Gammon Joint - smoked or unsmoked
- 2 tin Baked Beans
- 1 tin Butter Bean (drained) - Optional
- 330 grams Cherry Tomatoes - or 390 g tinned tomatoes
- 2 red onions
- 3 Carrots - diced
- 8 Mushrooms - chopped
- 2 teaspoon Gia Garlic Puree - or 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon Gia Sundried Tomato Puree - or 2 tablespoon of tomato puree
- 2 teaspoon Gia Chilli Puree - or 1-2 medium chillies finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon Gia Anchovy Puree - or 1 crushed Anchovy
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
To thicken stew if desired?
- Cornflour - 1-2 tsp
- Warm water - 1-2 tsp
Instructions
- Preferably, soak the gammon in water overnight, kept in the fridge. Drain water before use. Or just rinse with cold water before starting. This step is to remove excess saltiness.
Pressure cooker Method
- Place all the ingredients in the pressure cooker, give it all a good stir.
- Place the gammon on top. It may look like there is not enough liquid at this point. Extra liquid will be created during the cooking process. So, do not be tempted to add any liquid.
- Lock the lid on the pressure cooker with the valve closed. Cook on Meat mode for 1 hr. Let the pressure release naturally. (about 10 mins)
- Open the lid, to check if the meat is ready, you will notice there is a lot of liquid now.Once the gammon is shredded the stew will thicken up.Pull the gammon out and shred with 2 forks, If the meat is not breaking away easily, put back on meat mode for another 30 mins.
- Stir shredded gammon back into the pot, and keep warm until ready to serve
Slow Cooker Method
- Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker, give it all a good stir.
- Place the gammon on top. It may look like there is not enough liquid at this point. The extra liquid will be created during the cooking process. So, do not be tempted to add any liquid.
- Set the slow cooker on a high setting, place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6-7 hrs
- Open the lid, to check if the meat is ready.Pull the gammon out and shred with 2 forks.Once the gammon is shredded the stew will thicken up.
- Stir shredded gammon back into the pot, and keep warm until ready to serve
Oven Method
- Place all the ingredients in the casserole dish, give it all a good stir. Place the gammon on top. It may look like there is not enough liquid at this point. The extra liquid will be created during the cooking process. So, do not be tempted to add any liquid.
- Cook in the oven for 3 hrs at 180ยฐc, checking every hour give a stir if necessary
- Open the lid, to check if the meat is ready, you will notice there is a lot of liquid, once the gammon is shredded the stew will thicken up.Pull the gammon out and shred with 2 forks, If the meat is not breaking away, put back in the oven for another 30 mins.
- Stir shredded gammon back into the pot, and keep warm until ready to serve
All methods. How to thicken stew?
- If you want to thicken stew more you can mix 1 teaspoon of warm water and 1 teaspoon of cornflour together. Stir through the hot stew at the end for about 2 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Faster preparation using Gia Puree's
We sped up the process of making this bonfire gammon stew by using our favourite brand Gia.
Gia Garlic Puree โ pick it up at any UK supermarket and save your time fiddling with peeling, chopping and pressing garlic. The tube is kept in the fridge for use whenever you make another dish containing garlic!
Gia Chilli Puree โ available from most supermarkets. Add it to any dish to add an instant kick. A little goes a long way; 1 teaspoon of puree is enough for some. We often use 2 teaspoon as we like it hot! Keep in the fridge between uses.
Gia Sundried Tomato Puree โ available from most supermarkets, add the richness of sundried tomatoes to any recipe. Blended with oils and herbs, the secret ingredient to any good meal.
We often use in place of regular Tomato puree, to add extra richness. You will only need half the amount of this compared to regular puree!
If you enjoyed this recipe why not try our Beef and Red wine Stew with Dumplings!
Marbeth says
Tases good.
Easy to make
Healthy
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for your kind review, Marbeth! We're delighted to hear that our Bonfire Gammon Stew not only tastes good, but is also easy to make and a healthy choice. We hope this dish becomes a go-to meal in your household. Happy cooking!
Simon says
Recipe looks good but I just get burn warning after burn warning
Aimee Mars says
This soup looks so heartwarming and Yorkshire pudding is the perfect pairing. I would love to make this and sit around our own outside fire pit.
Michelle says
I've never cooked with a gammon joint, but this stew looks amazing. I'll have to find one to make this ASAP
Claudia Lamascolo says
This looks marvelous the best of comfort foods!
Pam Greer says
I will definitely use your pressure cooker method - so easy!! Love this comfort food!
Sue says
What a fantastic stew. I love that you include beans and veggies with the meat. And using the pressure cooker makes it so easy and the meat is unbelievably tender!
Hannah says
So easy - will try this again but will definitely not skip soaking the gammon next time with UK gammon as still quite salty and weโll also reduce/skip the tomato as itโs a bit overpowering of all those other lovely flavours.
Christine says
This looks like a nice hearty stew - a perfect comfort food that will please the whole family
Gloria says
Stew is the ultimate comfort food. Love all the variations on preparing this recipe. I agree...pressure cooking is fantastic.
Ashley Marie Lecker says
Oh goodness. I am literally drooling over this recipe. I love bean and gammon together, and served in a giant yorkshire pudding too- yum. I love how simple this recipe is as well, but still full of flavor!
Beth says
Made this for the family for dinner this evening and the flavours went so nicely together! A really nice change to a typical stew, thank you!
Tamara J says
Everything about this recipe was perfect. It was easy to make, and all of the flavors came together beautifully. Iโm so happy I found it!
Kay says
Thanks Tamara, so glad you found it easy to follow and love it as much as we do x
Colleen | Bakes & Blunders says
This looks absolutely delicious! Pressure cookers make everything easy ๐
Kay says
I do love my pressure cooker! I waited out to buy one, thinking it was going to be another gadget I don't need! But wish I had got it sooner!! I love it!
Erika says
I love stews! These flavors all sound amazing.
Kay says
We love stews too, we have just made our very own giant Yorkshires to go with this! New blog post coming soon!