Gammon Stew

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Gammon Stew

This Gammon Stew recipe uses leftover Gammon to create a delicious, Winter warmer dish as a main course. Allow the flavour of the ingredients to be the predominant taste. They can be modified to suit your tastes and garlic or chillies are optional. Cook on the hob or in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or use a Slow Cooker following the manufacturer’s instructions.

The beauty of the dish is that it can be made in advance and cooked with flexibility, allowing you to eat it whenever you want to. Just turn it down a little if you want to relax first or enjoy your guest’s company before dinner. When you are ready, the dinner is too!

We cook a large Gammon joint and enjoy this as a meal, then use up the leftovers in a Gammon Stew a day or two later.

  • Serves: 4-6
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cooking Time: 2 to 3 hours
  • Ready In: 3 hours 10 minutes (if cooking for 3 hours)

Ingredients

Our recipe includes a large number of store cupboard ingredients which all add to the flavour but feel free to experiment with your own tastes or cupboard supplies.

  • Half pre-cooked gammon joint (approx 2kg but can be varied) or freshly cooked gammon joint
  • 4 tbsp Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil or Olive Oil
  • 2 litres Vegetable Stock (homemade, using stock cubes or ready made)
  • Modena Vinegar – dash
  • 25g Butter or substitute
  • 25g Plain or Self Raising Flour
  • 3 medium Potatoes – skins on, cut into chunks
  • 2 medium Carrots – thickly sliced
  • 2 large Onions – 1 x finely chopped, 1 x thickly chopped
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper – chopped
  • 1 Large Vine Ripe Tomato – chopped
  • 2 Garlic Cloves – (optional) lightly crushed and sliced
  • 1 Red Chilli Pepper – (optional) finely chopped
  • Root Ginger – small piece grated
  • Shave of Nutmeg
  • 2 tsp Tumeric
  • 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 tsp Coriander Leaves
  • 2 tsp Oregano (if using fresh, 3 sprigs removed from stem)
  • 2 tsp Basil  (if using fresh, 12 leaves)
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp White Pepper
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • 80g Frozen Garden Peas
  • Leek (optional) – sliced
  • Green Beans (optional)
  • Sweetcorn (optional)
  • 200g tin Red Kidney Beans or Baked Beans (optional)

Method

  1. Add 3 tbsp of oil to a large stock pot on a high heat
  2. Lightly fry all the onion for 2 minutes
  3. Add the carrots, potato and garlic (optional) and stir
  4. Add the bell pepper and stir
  5. Make up the vegetable stock and put to one side
  6. Add the cumin seeds and tumeric, turning the mixture continually for approx 2 minutes
  7. Add the butter and fry for 1 minute
  8. Add the flour and ginger, being careful not to burn the bottom of the mixture. Put the remaining oil in the pan and stir gently for 1 minute
  9. Remove from the hob, pour in 500ml of stock then return to the hob
  10. Add the bay leaves, black & white pepper, nutmeg, Modena vinegar, rosemary, oregano, coriander leaves and basil then stir well
  11. Gradually add the remaining stock, bringing to the boil then lowering the heat to simmer
  12. If using, add the baked beans and/or kidney beans and stir
  13. Add your gammon meat. If using directly from a pre-cooked joint, cut into large chunky pieces to keep the texture and achieve ‘strands’. If already sliced, add the slices to the pot
  14. Add the tomato and bring to the boil
  15. Turn down the heat and simmer for approx 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Use a spatula to get right under the base of the stew to ensure it doesn’t stick
  16. After 1 hour, add the peas (if using frozen peas, increase the heat for a couple of minutes then return to a simmer)
  17. Add a little more liquid if necessary (you want a good thick liquid consistency)
  18. Simmer on a low heat for 2-3 hours then remove the bay leaves
  19. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow the meat to ‘rest’
  20. Serve with fresh homemade bread

Top Tips

  • The flour thickens the soup as do the potatoes but do not add too much or the dish will taste pasty
  • If short on time, partially cook the potatoes then add them to the cooking pot. Do not overcook them as they go ‘mushy’
  • Make sure you have enough liquid to cover all the ingredients throughout the cooking time
  • If adding more water near the end of the cooking time, cook a little longer to ensure the dish is hot enough – do not add water for at least 10 minutes before the end of cooking time

Cooking in a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

  • If using a crock-pot or slow cooker, prepare all the ingredients as above and then add the stew mix to your pot on a low heat, following your manufacturers instructions
  • For best results, cook in the slow cooker as instructed and then boil in a large stock-pot, simmering for 10 minutes before serving to ensure a piping hot dish with great flavours

Recommended Equipment

  • Large Stainless Steel Stock Pot
  • Measuring jug
  • Plastic spatula
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Crock Pot or Slow Cooker (optional)