gammon cooked in coke with a spicy honey mustard glaze
I have always wanted to try a gammon cooked in coke recipe and weirdly think of it as such a South African thing although it almost definitely is not. Coke has all sorts of flavour components which include vanilla and cherry in the mix, so it makes sense that these would pair beautifully with the salty ham. I made a spicy honey mustard glaze because I love these flavours too.
I treated myself to the December issue of the UK Delicious magazine because I so love the Christmas editions of food magazines. As I was flipping through I came across their cola ham recipe and knew it was a sign. They cooked the recipe in Coke and then made a spicy honey mustard glaze.
So thinking I would take the whole cola vibe to its max, I decided to go with their recipe. I loved the sound of the ginger and soy in the glaze too.
Gammon cooked in coke with a spicy honey mustard glaze
Ingredients
- 3 kg gammon
- 4 liters of cola
- 1 onion halved
- 2 star anise
- 6 peppercorns
Recipe for the glaze
- 4 Tbs honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbs soy sauce
- 1 Tbs English mustard powder I used Dijon
- 2 Tbs brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the gammon in large pot, cover with water and bring it to the boil. Discard the water and place it back in the pot and cover with the coke. Add the onion, peppercorns and star anise. Bring this to the boil and then turn it to its lowest setting and allow to simmer. You will need to simmer for 20 minutes per 500gms of meat. When it is finished, turn off the heat and allow the gammon to cool in the pot with the liquid.
- Mix all of the above glaze ingredients in a small pot and heat until it comes together in a thick glaze.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 18o C fan assisted. Remove the gammon when it is cooled and peel off the thick outer skin, leaving an even layer of white fat. Score the fat diagonally to create a diamond-shaped pattern. Stud each diamond with a clove. Brush the glaze over the gammon and place in the oven on a tray and bake for 20 - 30 minutes, checking it regularly to ensure it doesn't burn. Baste 2 - 3 times with the left over glaze.
Notes
The glaze was absolutely delicious but I think that next time I will cook it in the more traditional way and how I have always cooked it in the past, with beer, celery, onion bay, peppercorns and carrots.
If you are looking for another incredible gammon recipe and my new favourite, check out my Instant Pot Gammon with ginger beer and Rooibos
A few recipe ideas for Christmas:
traditional Christmas pudding:
Beautiful Sam. I loved that glaze – will be using on our gammon on Christmas day!
I love gammon and each year I do mine in coke as well. I got my original recipe from Nigella Lawsons book “How to Eat” 13 years ago and have made it that way ever since. The reduced coke liquid/stock makes a wonderful base for bean and bacon soup! I freeze mine until the winter weather starts coming around! Enjoy Sam xx
Oh Wow Colleen I didn’t know *rushes off to get the book off the shelf and look up the recipe*. I wouldn’t have thought you could use the Coke stock again.
Yay Lori, so glad you could share it with me. S x
Hi Sam,
I am making my first gammon this Christmas and I can’t decide whether to serve it hot or cold. I want to accompany it with a warm roast chicken and I am leaning towards making the gammon the day before as it will be easier.
What are your thoughts on having one warm and one cold meat dish? And, how do you normally serve your gammon, hot or cold?
Also, what beer do you traditionally cook your gammon in?
Thank you!!!
Hi Sonja, I think the gammon is lovely cold and isn’t really a hot dish. I totally love hot and cold mixed in a meal and at Christmas this works well. Cook it the day before, but perhaps do the glaze in the morning of the day, so in advance. The glazing is very quick and once done you can just let it stand. I just use any beer for the stock, Castle is fine. Good luck!
Thank you, your reply was very helpful.
My mind is made up and I look forward to making my gammon! 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe, I’m going to use it for my Christmas lunch. It’s the first time we’re having it at our place so I know this is going to be a winner. I’m doing a cold lunch with the gammon and cold roast chicken, any suggestions as to what would go as good sides to this meal?
Hi Lizzy, you will need a nice potato dish for the side. Either easy and warm potato wedges: https://drizzleanddip.com/2009/12/17/crispy-potato-wedges-with-rosemary or a nice potato salad warm or cold: https://drizzleanddip.com/2011/01/24/new-potato-salad-with-creme-fraiche-spring-onions-smoked-red-pepper or freshen it up with these minty ones: https://drizzleanddip.com/2011/11/27/warm-new-potato-salad-with-mint-lemon-and-creme-fraiche
Thanks so much! I’m definitely going to try that lovely Smokey potato salad – sounds Deeeelish!
I just posted my recipe on my blog ‘Butterfly Cottage Family Recipe’s’ where I also do my gammon in Coca Cola for my children back in SA to make. I am in the UK now. Your’s is different and I can’t wait to try it out. Love your blog by the way. Have a wonderful Christmas – Blessings Debra x
Using your gammon recipe my first Christmas lunch was a great success. Thanks so much!
Hi Salome that is great! 🙂 thanks for stopping buy to report back.
I made this on Xmas eve and it was all gone by xmas day so I’m making it again!
This is music to my ears Mark. Happy holidays and gammon eating. I love gammon all year round.