Difference between Gammon and Ham???

Mr_Proctalgia

I have been wondering about this - Whats the difference?

Is it the cut, or the method of preservation or what, usually I lurk around Morrisons butchers counter and try to snaffle some gammon joints when they are reduced but the other week I was in Sainsburys and they had what appeared to be really nice looking joints going for a quid so I bought two and did my usual thing of boiling them chilling and slicing, but they fell apart and were tasteless (They were in fact - reconstituted) :mad: So if any of you experts could help me I would be grateful as I'm missing me "Ham Butties" now!

maryb

gammon is a ham joint that hasn't been cooked

Wickedkitten

gammon is actually cured or smoked ham.

Mr_Proctalgia

Now I'm really confused because I think that any bits of pig that are not raw I.E. Pork are cured anyway. By this I mean treated essentially with Salt Petre and other flavourings. So is Gammon double cured ham or what? All pork that is cured is pink - right? ? So Gammon is cured (and obviously Ham too) But what is the difference in reality?.

Pink.

Found this for you Mr Proctalgia. I read it a couple of times and I'm still not sure what the answer is.

Mr_Proctalgia

Thanks PW - I too was Googling around for an answer but it seems that there isn't one, its all pigs legs and smoke out there, I may try the Gammon in Coke recipe - It sounds facinating.

Thanks for your efforts

apple_mint

I bought a piece of gammon at the farmers market yesterday. Popped it into the slow cooker in about an inch of water. Smothered it in some honey and cooked for 6 hours on medium (Morphy Richard's 6.6 ltr slow cooker). It was gorgeous and having had some for dinner it will also do us several more meals.

point3

Mr_Proctalgia wrote:

Thanks PW - I too was Googling around for an answer but it seems that there isn't one, its all pigs legs and smoke out there, I may try the Gammon in Coke recipe - It sounds facinating.

Do try the gammon in coca-cola - it gives the ham a lovely sweet 'honey' type glaze.

Back to your question...

Ham refers to the thigh cut of pork - this term would apply whether it had been cured or not. In general use however we only refer to the cured meat as ham.

Gammon refers specifically to a cured ham cut.

Flambé me if I'm wrong

thriftlady_2

Isn't the main difference that gammon is raw and ham is cooked? They are both cured,and made from the leg of the pig.

TOBRUK

I may try the Gammon in Coke recipe - It sounds facinating.

It is lovely - I often make it - boil it in coke, then cut the skin, leaving some fat and score cross ways, press in a few cloves, then rub in honey, dry mustard and demerara sugar put in oven for about 20 mins - georgious.

janiebaby29

I want to do jamie olivers jerk ham , but am confused about the joints