Slow Cooker Gammon
, Updated Jul 12, 2025
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Slow Cooker Gammon is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it recipe – tender, flavor-packed ham that practically cooks itself! Whether you’re serving it hot with roasties or slicing it cold for sandwiches, this versatile dish is perfect for easy family dinners, festive spreads, or batch cooking for the week ahead.
There’s something so comforting about a shiny glazed gammon joint — whether it’s the centerpiece of a Sunday roast or the star of a festive feast. This Slow Cooker Gammon recipe takes all the stress out of cooking ham. It’s juicy, tender, and packed with flavor thanks to a gentle, slow simmer in your trusty crock pot.
You can finish it with a sticky glaze or serve it simply sliced with your favorite sides. It’s incredibly versatile, easy to prep, and perfect for leftovers — think sandwiches, soups, pasta, and more. Once you try this method, you may never go back to boiling or roasting again!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly easy – just pop everything in the slow cooker and walk away!
- Juicy and tender – the gammon stays moist and slices beautifully.
- Perfect for meal prep – serve hot, cold or in leftovers all week long.
- Customizable – use cola, cider or apple juice for a flavor twist, and finish with your favorite glaze!
Gammon vs Ham: What’s the difference?
Gammon is the cured joint from the back leg of the pork. Gammon is raw and needs to be cooked before serving whereas ham is already cooked and ready to eat. Once gammon is cooked it becomes ham!
How Long to Cook Ham in Crock Pot?
The great thing about slow cooker gammon is that you can set it to cook and then forget it for several hours while you get on with Christmas prep – I always leave gift wrapping to the last minute…
Cook the gammon on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours or on the HIGH setting for 4-5 hours. It is hard to overcook it in a slow cooker, thanks to the low, even temperature and braising liquid.
Here’s what you will need
- Gammon joint – I usually go for unsmoked but you can pick a smoked one if preferred. This crock pot ham recipe uses a boneless large gammon joint – try to pick the best quality free-range pork you can afford.
- Braising liquid – you can boil gammon in water of course, but to add extra flavor, try using apple juice, pineapple juice, cider, ginger ale or cola instead.
- Aromatics – adding onion, carrot, bay leaves, peppercorns will further enhance the flavor of the ham. The ham stock can be used in soups or stews afterwards, but test first to make sure it is not too salty.
- Glaze The choices are endless! Honey and brown sugar gammon is a classic option, and maple syrup is always popular, but any sweet-spicy combo works a treat – anything from mango and chili to lime and sherry. I went with apricot jam, sugar, mustard and a splash of brandy to create a simple glaze with a glorious shine. Stud the ham with cloves for a pretty presentation.
How to Make Slow Cooker Gammon
BRAISE THE HAM
- Place the gammon in the slow cooker and position the carrots and onions around it. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns.
- Pour in the liquids, cover and cook for 5-6 hours on the HIGH setting or 7-8 on LOW setting (check the ham internal temperature with an meat thermometer for the optimum cooking time).
SCORE THE HAM
- Remove the ham from the slow cooker and set aside to cool. Discard the solids and save the braising liquid to use in soup.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and set the gammon on a rack set over a roasting pan. You might need to scrunch a bit of foil to position under the ham so that it sits level.
- Carefully remove the rind from the gammon, leaving a thin layer of fat intact. Lightly score the fat in a crisscross pattern, taking care not to slice too deeply and cut into the meat.
GLAZE AND SERVE
- Mix the glaze ingredients together and warm briefly in the microwave or a saucepan. Brush the ham liberally with the glaze. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes, basting with the glaze every 10 minutes.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving with a sharp knife.
Instant Pot Instructions
If you haven’t got time to cook the gammon in your slow cooker then the Instant Pot Ham is the way to go! Pressure cooking is faster and just as fuss-free. As a general rule you will need to cook your gammon on High Pressure for 15 minutes per 450g (pound) and allow for natural release. Remember not to overfill your Instant Pot – only add enough liquid so that is no more than ⅔ full.
How to tell Gammon is Cooked
When it comes to meat and poultry, I rely heavily on my trusty Thermapen and leave the guess-work behind. Check your gammon is cooked by inserting the thermometer probe into the thickest part until it reads 62 °C (145 °F). The ham should be easy to pierce with a knife (or the probe) and you should be able to pull the knife out easily without struggling.
Serving Suggestions
Slow cooker gammon is as versatile as it is delicious. Serve it it up as:
- A classic roast dinner – pair with Crispy Roast Potatoes, steamed greens, and gravy for a comforting Sunday roast.
- Festive centerpiece of your Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter table along with with other festive favorites such as Roast Turkey, Stuffing Balls, Braised Red Cabbage, Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Fluffy Dinner Rolls.
Storing & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Once cooled, store your gammon in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil or cling film. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Gammon freezes beautifully! Slice or cube it first, then pack into freezer-safe bags or containers. Label with the date and use within 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
You have several options when it comes to reheating. Just make sure not to overdo it to prevent the ham from drying out.
- Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place gammon slices in a single layer in the basket and mist with oil. Air fry for 3–5 minutes, checking halfway through. Time will vary depending on thickness.
- Microwave: Reheat slices in the microwave for 1–2 minutes, loosely covered.
- Oven: Wrap in foil and warm at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes.
- Skillet: For crispy edges, fry slices in a hot pan with a splash of oil.
What to Do with Leftover Gammon
Don’t let a single slice go to waste! Here are some clever and tasty ways to use up your leftover slow cooker gammon:
- Sandwiches & Wraps Keep it classic with a gammon, mustard, and pickle focaccia sandwich, or make a wrap with cheese and mayo for an easy lunch.
- Breakfast or Brunch Fry up thick slices and serve with eggs, hash browns, or use instead of bacon in breakfast potatoes.
- Add to Soups & Stews Chop it into cubes and stir into pea and ham soup, lentil soup, or a campfire stew for added depth and protein.
- Air Fry go retro with a pineapple and ham combo!
- Stir into Pasta or Mac & Cheese Use leftover gammon in creamy pasta or baked mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort meal.
- Use in Pie or Quiche Use in my leftver turkey pie or slice it into a quiche for a perfect packed lunch option.
More Holiday Recipes
HAVE YOU MADE MY SLOW COOKER GAMMON RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Slow Cooker Gammon
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4 pounds) boneless gammon joint unsmoked or smoked
- 2 onions roughly chopped
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 480 ml (2 cups) ginger ale or use cider / Cola / Dr Pepper
- 960 ml (4 cups) apple juice or as much as needed to cover the joint
For the glaze
- 6 tbsp smooth apricot jam or honey
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp grainy mustard or Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp brandy rum / whisky or leave out
Instructions
- Place the gammon joint in the slow cooker and position the carrots and onions around it. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Pour in the liquids, cover and cook for 5-6 hours on high setting or 7-8 on low setting.2 kg (4 pounds) boneless gammon joint, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 bay leaves, ½ cinnamon stick, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp whole cloves, 480 ml (2 cups) ginger ale, 960 ml (4 cups) apple juice
- Remove the ham from the slow cooker and set aside to cool. Discard the solids and save the braising liquid to use in soups if you like (have a taste before using as it may be quite salty).
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) and set a rack over a roasting pan. Scrunch up some foil to make sure the ham sits level on the rack (if needed).
- Carefully remove the rind from the gammon joint, leaving a small layer of the fat intact. Lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern, taking care not to cut too deeply.
- Mix the glaze ingredients together and warm briefly in the microwave or a saucepan. Brush the ham liberally with the glaze.6 tbsp smooth apricot jam, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp grainy mustard, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp brandy
- Roast in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes, basting with the glaze every 10 minutes, until the ham is golden brown.
- Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large platter and carve. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Turns out nice using the slow cooker but would have been useful to mention the need to soak/cook briefly in water to reduce the salt [this is mentioned in the stove top version] so the liquid can be used for stock
I really want to make this ham can I use other drink if I havnt got coke all I have is Guiness
Guinness will make it taste bitter. You can use broth, cider, apple juice
My mother-in-law did this for Christmas and it was outstanding! The one thing we all agreed was the best dish.
I am wanting to do it but I only have a 500g gammon. How long should it cook for in the slow cooker?
Thank you!
Hi Claire, I can’t be 100% sure so the best way would be to check with a meat thermometer. You can check on the halfway mark and take it from there.
hi,
was really delicious!
any recommendations for what soup to make with the Stock?
thanks
Toni
Yes there’s a ham a pea recipe on the site that’s delicious, but you could also use it in a pie or chicken soup
Absolutely delicious, and very simple to make. I just used apple juice alone to slow cook the gammon in for simplicity’s sake. The Clive’s and cinnamon really give a lovely deep flavour.
Hi,
Not sure if I’m being an idiot – but the cooking time on LOW is 5-6h and on HIGH it’s longer?
Giving it a try anyway – we will test for “doneness” after 5h and adjust if necessary.
Thanks
You are not of course, it’s my mistake. Apologies for the error I have corrected. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas 😘
Super-confisuing… there are irregularities in the timings given in these instructions.
My apologies the timings were confusing in the recipe card and thanks for pointing out. I have updated the timings. Wishing you a very happy Christmas ❤️
Drool City, population me. This looks SO stinking perfect! Festive and delicious- gotta try this!
Ha! Thanks Karly you can’t really go wrong with glazed ham can you? Such a crowdpleaser and I live for the leftovers 🙂
Ha! That’s exactly the same as me, I didn’t grow up in a house that cooked ham either so i’d never made it but boy I can see why people did once i’d given it a go. Yours looks beautiful and so festive!
I know I feel like I have been missing out! It’s so easy and so delicious. Made some pea and ham soup with the leftovers.
This looks so delicious and oh so festive! I love the flavours here! Ham has got to be our family favourite for holidays, so easy and always tasty!
I can’t believe it took me so long to get on the ham bandwagon! I love it more for the leftovers – so good in sandwiches and especially grilled cheese ones!