For a lot of families the gammon is as much a part of Christmas as the turkey. Sometimes it's instead of the turkey. It's also the easiest part of the meal to get ahead with, because nearly all the work can be done the day before.
How big to buy
| People | Gammon alongside turkey | Gammon as the main |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 750g | 1kg |
| 6 | 1kg | 1.5kg |
| 8 | 1.25kg | 2kg |
| 10–12 | 1.5kg | 2.5kg |
For a crowd, a boned middle gammon carves neatly and has no waste. On the bone looks the part on the table but takes longer to carve.
The plan
Christmas Eve. Soak the joint if the label tells you to. Simmer it for 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes, with an onion, bay leaves and peppercorns in the water. Let it cool in the liquor for half an hour, then lift it out, wrap it and chill it. Keep the stock, because it's Boxing Day soup.
Christmas morning. Take the skin off, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score it in diamonds and stud it with cloves. Mix your glaze.
When the turkey comes out to rest. Turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4). Heat the gammon in foil for about 30 minutes per kilo. Unwrap it, brush on the glaze, turn the oven up to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) and give it 20 minutes until it's dark and sticky. Check the middle reads 70°C.
It comes out as the turkey goes to the table, and it's happy to sit for 20 minutes while everyone sorts out their plates.
Christmas glazes
Marmalade and mustard is the classic, and it's hard to beat. Honey, orange and clove smells like Christmas. Cranberry sauce thinned with orange juice makes a glossy red glaze that uses up an open jar. There are more on the gammon glazes page.
Sauces
Cumberland sauce is the traditional one, and you can make it a fortnight early. Parsley sauce is for people who grew up with it. A pot of English mustard on the table is never wrong.
The leftovers
Cold gammon keeps for three days in the fridge, well wrapped. After that, slice it and freeze it. Use it in sandwiches with pickle, in bubble and squeak on Boxing Day morning, in pea and ham soup made from the cooking stock, or in a ham and leek pie. Cooked gammon that has been chilled is fine to eat cold. If you reheat it, make sure it's piping hot right through.
Straight answers
How much gammon do I need per person?
About 200g of raw weight per person if it's the main event, or 100 to 125g if it's alongside a turkey. Buy a bit more than you need, because the leftovers are half the point.
When should I buy my Christmas gammon?
Supermarket joints keep in the fridge until the date on the pack, often a couple of weeks, so you can buy one in mid-December. For a butcher's joint, order it by early December and collect it a day or two before Christmas Eve.
Can I cook my Christmas gammon on Christmas Eve?
Yes, and it's the best way. Simmer it on Christmas Eve, cool it within a couple of hours and refrigerate it. On the day, heat it through and glaze it, checking that the middle reaches 70°C.
Can I freeze a Christmas gammon?
Raw gammon freezes well. Defrost it slowly in the fridge, which takes about a day per 2kg. Cooked leftovers can be frozen in slices for up to two months.
Is gammon the same as Christmas ham?
Near enough. Gammon is the raw cured leg, and once it's cooked most people call it ham. A glazed Christmas ham is just a cooked gammon with a sticky coating.
Updated 10 November 2026