Simple Pleasure - Slow Cooked Gammon

 This is one of my favourite weekend "makes".

Simply place an unsmoked gammon joint in your slow cooker. Pour over some cider, add the herbs and spices, leave to cook all day while you get on with your other jobs.

It's hard to believe that so little effort can generate so much flavour ...and wait until the smells start wafting from the slow cooker...guaranteed to start your stomach growling!

The meat that comes out is beautifully aromatic and tender. Obviously you don't get any crackling when you cook in a slow cooker but if like me, you are not a fan of crackling anyway, this is of no particular consequence.

Slow Cooked Aromatic Gammon
Serves 4

1 x unsmoked gammon (approx. 1kg)
2 x bay leaves
1 x sprig myrtle (optional)*
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
5 x cloves
1 x star anise
1 x bottle of cider
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• Remove all the packaging from the gammon and place in the slow cooker, fat side up
• Pour over the cider (which may start to froth, this is nothing to worry about!)
• Add all the herbs and spices.
• Put on the lid and cook on high for 4 hours
• Lift the gammon out of slow cooker and leave to stand on a plate or chopping board for 10 minutes before carving.

Delicious served with a ring of pineapple and accompanied with fresh salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber and a creamy homemade potato salad.

Any left over gammon can be finely sliced or shredded and used as ham in sandwiches the following day. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days once cooked.
Also great chopped up finely and added to spaghetti carbonara.

21/01/2019 Update - My slow cooker is a Lakeland Slow Cooker. I've had it since October 2011. I've used it regularly and it's still going strong!

* I have a myrtle bush (myrtus communis) in my garden... I love using the aromatic leaves in cooking. It imparts a similar flavour to bay leaves. Although not used much these days in the UK, it was more popular during Medieval times in stews etc. You can read more about it here.