We show you how to cook the best honey roast gammon joint.
We give you the cooking time per kg for how long to boil gammon in a pan and the instant pot/pressure cooker gammon method.
A simple honey and mustard glaze is poured over the boiled ham before being oven-roasted giving a delightful sticky, sweet taste.
Most popular at Christmas, but we love it all year round for a delicious Sunday roast dinner with all the trimmings, use up leftover slices of ham for lunch!
We also have a slow cooker gammon joint recipe, and a gammon steak recipe you may want to try.
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How to cook a honey roast gammon joint?
Check out the video below for easy-to-follow steps to creating this simple roast gammon dinner.
The recipe card instructions tell you how to long to boil and roast a 2kg gammon joint. But we have also given the cooking times for per kg for all gammon joint sizes.
Jump to Recipe for the best way to cook gammon joint.Should I boil or roast a Gammon Joint?
You can boil or roast a gammon joint, we find combining the two methods, is best resulting in moist meat from boiling. With a delicious sticky roasted honey glaze coating from oven roasting
Boiling a Gammon Joint is quicker than roasting alone and gives moister Gammon slices.
However, to give the glaze the best finish, it needs a little time to roast in the oven.
Gammon boiled in a pan or a pressure cooker then coated in a delicious sticky glaze to finish off in the oven.
How to boil gammon?
When boiling gammon you need to cover it with water, you can add herbs, peppercorns, onion or vegetables can also be added to the boiling step if desired.
We love the taste of the ham as it is and to add flavour from the glaze instead! So we keep it simple with just a couple of bay leaves.
Make sure to submerge the gammon joint to cover over the top with water, if you lose water during cooking add more.
Also, it should be noted that although it's called boiled ham or gammon, it should not be boiled for the whole duration; simply bring it to the boil then lower it to a simmer.
How long to boil gammon joint per kg?
See below for a gammon joint cooking time calculator chart for how long to boil gammon joints of different sizes on the hob or using an instant pot, pressure cooker.
| Gammon joint size | How long to boil | How long to pressure cook |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg (2.2lb) | 45 minutes | 25 minutes |
| 2 kg (4.4lb) | 1 hours 30 minutes | 50 minutes |
| 3 kg (6.6lb) | 2 hour 15 minutes | 1 hours 15 minutes |
| 4 kg (8.8lb) | 3 hours | 1 hours 40 minutes |
| 5 kg (11lb) | 3 hours 45 minutes | 2 hours 5 minutes |
So now you know how long to boil gammon, no matter the joint size. Time to turn this simple boiled ham into a honey glazed roast gammon
The roasting time for boiled gammon is 30 minutes, this cooking time is the same for all boiled gammon joint sizes.
The gammon is cooked already you are just roasting the fat layer and adding a delicious glaze.
Pressure Cooker Gammon Method
To speed things up, you can use an instant pot or pressure cooker to cook the gammon Joint. No checking in on it, leave it for the allotted time.
If you haven't got a Pressure Cooker, I highly recommend the Pressure King Pro, we have had ours for 3 years now and use it every week!
You will see below in the recipe card both instructions for how to pressure cook gammon using a pressure king pro or instant pot, or how to pan boil the gammon!
Removing skin from Gammon?
After the gammon has boiled, it is best to remove the thick skin, leaving the fat layer intact.
The gammon fat will be super soft and ready for scouring in a diamond pattern; we then added cloves for extra flavour!
In all honesty, we went a bit OTT with cloves here but wanted it to look even and well covered for the photo! You can use half the amount we used!
Honey and mustard glaze
A simple glaze for roast gammon is this honey and mustard glaze, it is easy to make with equal amounts of runny clear honey and English mustard.
You could try out our Sticky Beer and Honey Glaze instead for another option.
Pour your chosen glaze over the top of the gammon joint, making sure to save some to add again halfway through roasting.
I also highly recommend adding a layer of foil under the gammon joint as the honey is hard to clean off the baking tray!
How long to cook glazed gammon in oven?
Oven roast glazed gammon in a preheated oven at 180°c fan / 200°c / 400°f for 30 minutes; halfway through add more glaze to the top.
When finished remove from oven and cover loosely with foil, allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
You have got to agree that it is quite a masterpiece roast dinner to bring to the Christmas dinner table!
There is enough to serve 8 people with a 2kg gammon joint.
Gammon Serving Suggestions
A roast gammon is obviously great served for a traditional Sunday roast dinner served with roast potatoes and roasted parsnips, apple sauce and yorkshire puddings as seen below.
Honey roast gammon is also great served with any of the below.
- Gammon, Egg and Chips
- Cold meats or Cheese platter
- Sandwich
- Gammon, Mash & Cabbage
- Gammon Salad
Or chop gammon into cubes for adding to
- Rice
- Pasta Bake
- Quiche
- Omelette
- Turkey and ham pie
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Honey Roast Gammon Joint
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 kg Gammon/Ham Joint (4 ½ lb) - unsmoked/ smoked - personal preference
- 500 ml Water (2 cup)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 12 cloves
Honey & Mustard Glaze
- 4 tablespoon Honey
- 4 tablespoon English Mustard
Or Beer and Honey Glaze option (click through)
Instructions
- Soak the 2 kg Gammon/Ham Joint (4 ½ lb) for a few hours in cold water, we normally do it overnight, or if you don't have time, rinse under cold water a few times to wash away excess saltiness.
Pan Boiled Gammon
- Place in a deep pan, fat side up, and fill the pan with enough water to cover the gammon joint.Add 2 Bay Leaves and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and leave to cook uncovered for 1 ½ hours. Top up with more water if gammon is sticking out of the water?
- Mix together the glaze ingredients 4 tablespoon Honey and 4 tablespoon English Mustard .
- After 1 ½ hours, remove from pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove netting from the boiled gammon joint.
- Remove the skin/rind away from the gammon leaving a juicy layer of fat
- Score the fat layer of the gammon with a sharp knife into diamonds
- Push 12 cloves into the corners of each diamond.
- Cover a baking tray with foil, before adding gammon joint on top.Pour most of the honey and mustard glaze over the top and save a little to reglaze halfway through oven cooking.
- Place in preheated oven at 180°c fan / 200°c / 400°f for 15 minutes.
- Reglaze by brushing over remaining honey and mustard glaze.
- Cook for a final 15 minutes keep an eye on it and remove sooner if the honey glaze begins burning. Cover with loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving
- Carve slices of gammon to your desired thickness.
- Serve with your choice of sides.
Pressure cooker method boiled ham
- Drain the water and place the 2 kg Gammon/Ham Joint (4 ½ lb) fat side facing up in the pressure cooker potAdd the 2 Bay Leaves and pour 500 ml Water (2 cup) over the top, it will not cover the gammon, which is fine, it will cook in the steam.
- Close the lid, pressure valve turned to the closed position.Place the pressure cooker on meat setting for 50 minutes.
- Once the Pressure cooker is finished, allow 10 min natural release. Carefully remove the meat from Pressure cooker.Follow from step 3 above, to oven roast the pressure cooked gammon
Video
Notes
Pan Method
Bring to boil, then simmer for 45 min Per Kg / 20min per lb The following joint sizes on the hob, simmer for time indicated below, and 30 min in oven to crisp off.- 1kg - 45 min
- 2kg - 1hr 30 min
- 3kg - 2hr 15 min
- 4kg - 3hr
- 5kg - 3hr 45min
Pressure Cooker Method-
Pressure cook for 25 min Per Kg / 11 min per lb. Allow 10-minute natural release on all joint size. The following joint sizes in pressure cooker take time indicated below, plus 10 min natural release and 30 min in oven to crisp off.- 1kg - 25 min
- 2kg - 50 min
- 3kg - 1hr 15 min
- 4kg - 1hr 40 min
- 5kg - 2hr 5min
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 10/12/2019 and has been modified on 21/04/2023 with updated recipe card and serving suggestions.
Plus simplified roast gammon cooking time calculator with times per kg. How to make honey roast gammon joint with a simple honey and mustard glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions?
Most store bought gammon joints in the UK are ok to use straight away, I normally soak for a few hours to remove some of the saltiness. If buying from the butchers ask if it will need soaking first, it depends how they have cured it?
Yes, keep netting on when boiling to keep it together, and remove before removing skin to roast.
The tough gammon skin should be removed, leaving behind a layer of fat which soaks up the glaze and becomes crispy when oven baked. 
Always makes an appearance at our Christmas table! A firm family favourite. Also great for boxing day when we like to pig out on cold meats and cheeses!
More Roast Dinner Recipes
We have loads of roast dinners to inspire your next Sunday roast, from cheap joints of beef topside or slow roast silverside.
To more luxury prime rib roast beef. Delicious roast goose with stuffing, slow roast leg of lamb or lamb shoulder.
If you like pork, try our roasted pork belly another affordable roasting joint.
Hope you enjoyed this honey gammon roast joint recipe and found it easy to follow? Please spare some time to leave us a comment/review below.
INSCOL says
Great !! I loved it.
Jere Cassidy says
I have never heard of gammon but realized it is close to ham. This is the perfect recipe for the holiday's and that glaze looks amazing.
Kay says
Thank you so much, Jere 🙂
The glaze just brings the ham/gammon so much flavour, enjoy!!
Jacqueline Debono says
I love gammon at Christmas! I think I like it even more than Turkey! Your glaze sounds delicious!
Kay says
We prefer it to Turkey which is why we do both!!
Simone says
I just love that glaze, it sound so delish! What a great holiday recipe 🙂
Kay says
thank you we love it too!
Monica says
This looks so delicious! I have never heard of or cooked Gammon. You gave such clear and complete details on how to prepare this, that I feel very confident I can cook this for my family of six. Thank you for a new recipe!
Kay says
Perfect for big families, glad our step by steps are helping x
Aimee DiPasquale says
That looks delicious. I have never heard of Gammon.
Kay says
Hi Aimee
Thank you, we call it Gammon but I'm sure in the states they call a Ham joint same thing really!
Hope you enjoy if you try this recipe!!
Ai says
Oh man, that glaze looks like perfection!! Those veggies also look perfectly roasted! YUM!!
Kay says
Hi Ai
Thank you for great words
The glaze was perfection and the roasted veg was superb!!
Enjoy!
Leon Iveson says
For those who have never heard of gammon, it is ham when uncooked and gammon when it is cooked.
Phil says
Actually it's gammon when uncooked and ham when cooked!
Nyxie says
This looks so amazing. I love honey glaze over my gammon joints, for some reason they always taste better with honey.
Kay says
Hi Nyxie
Thank you for comment
We loved the gammon and honey glaze is definitely our favourite for this recipe!!
Gari says
Color came out just perfect and that glaze, I'm all in.
Kay says
Hi Gari
Thank you!!
We loved this gammon recipe and it came out great with our Beer and honey glaze!
Lynne says
Could you please tell me how to make the beer and honey glaze plz??🙏🥰
Genevieve says
This Gammon recipe looks so good and perfect for Christmas!
Kay says
Hi Genevieve
Thank you, this gammon was lush and yes it's fantastic for Christmas!!
Enjoy!
Angela says
This looks so simply delicious and juicy!
Kay says
Hi Angela
It sure was delicious!!
Thanks for your comment
Erika says
I love salmon and adding the cloves is a great idea!
Kay says
I assume you meant Gammon! lol Not sure the cloves would work with Salmon! It was lovely!
Colleen | Bakes & Blunders says
That glaze looks amazing! Heck, the honey and mustard glaze sounds good too. Looks delish 😀
Kay says
Give it a go you will love it!
Raquel says
This looks really fancy and upscale, but you made it seem really easy to prepare. That's awesome! Thanks for sharing (:
Kay says
It was so easy! I have always done it on hob previous years, this is the first time in pressure cooker! Came out even better!
Christy Boston says
You had me at the beer and honey glaze. This looks so interesting and sumptuous - a great cold weather recipe to try this week, I'm thinking!
Kay says
Beer and Honey glaze is perfection! I don't even normally like beer!
Tamara J says
I have never tried a gammon joint, but this is definitely on my list of foods to try very soon! That glaze looks so amazing and flavorful.
Kay says
You will love it! The glaze was so good! We just finished off the last bit tonight with Yorkshire puddings, Apple Sauce, Stuffing and Vegetables!