Can You Put Gammon In An Air Fryer? (read this first)
Gammon joints are perfect for cooking in the air fryer as the joint is usually small enough to fit comfortably in the basket. The gammon joint needs no special preparation and cooks far quicker than in a conventional oven.
What Is A Gammon Joint?
There appears to be some confusion in the difference between a gammon joint and a ham joint, so let’s clear that up right away. If the joint is raw, it’s a gammon and if it’s already cooked it’s a ham.
The problem is there are many people trying to cook a gammon (raw) in the air fryer in the same amount of time that it takes to cook a ham (cooked) and then get upset because their gammon isn’t cooked.
This recipe is for cooking a raw gammon joint in an air fryer.
Why You’ll Love Air Fried Gammon
Cooking a gammon joint in the air fryer is our favourite way to cook a gammon and we’re sure it will become yours too. We believe you’ll love cooking your gammon joints in an air fryer because;
- It needs no special preparation
All you need to do is remove the packaging and your gammon is ready to be cooked. - Cooks far quicker than in a conventional oven
Cooking a gammon joint in an air fryer will reduce cooking times by at least a third and probably more. - Uses Less energy
There are 2 reasons for this which are;- Air fryers typically use less power than other forms of cooking.
- As you only need to heat the basket of the air fryer as opposed to a full sized oven, it takes less energy to heat up and maintain that heat.
- Creates hardly any mess
All of the mess generally associated with cooking a gammon joint is contained within the air fryer. This means there are no large ovens to clean and no oven trays either. All that you will need to clean is the air fryer basket and even this can be made easier if you use a disposable air fryer paper liner.
How To Cook A Gammon Joint In An Air Fryer
We know you and your family will love this air fryer gammon joint recipe.
Ingredients
- 750g (1.5 lb) Gammon Joint
Method
- Remove all packaging from the gammon joint
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 C (350 F)
- Place the gammon joint in the air fryer basket
- Air fry for 20 minutes
- Turn the joint over
- Cook for a further 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 75 C (167 F)
- Remove the gammon joint from the air fryer basket
- Serve
Air Fryer Gammon Joint Cooking Tips
- If adding a glaze, this should be done after the 2nd 20 minutes of cooking time and then cooked for a further 5 minutes
- The timings above are for a 750g gammon joint, for a 1.1kg gammon joint add an extra 5 minutes to each of the cooking times (20+5) X 2
- For glaze recipe see below
- Allow the meat to rest for around 3 to 5 minutes before serving to let the juices settle and the meat to relax
- Gammon joints might be constant in weight but can vary in thickness which is why we recommend checking the internal temperature of the joint to ensure it has reached at least 75 C before serving
Air Fryer Gammon Joint Serving Suggestions
Once your gammon joint is cooked it can be served hot with;
- Roast Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Boiled New Potatoes
- Garden Peas
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Brussel Sprouts
- Yorkshire Puddings
Or cold with;
- Chips
- Jacket Potato
- Salad
- In A Sandwich
How To Cook A Precooked Ham Joint In An Air Fryer
As we said at the beginning of this article, there are some people that get confused between a raw gammon joint and an already cooked ham joint.
However, a precooked ham joint can be cooked or reheated in an air fryer safely. Just do the following;
Ingredients
- 454g (1lb) Ham Joint
Method
- Remove the packaging from the ham joint
- Preheat the air fryer to 165 C (330 F)
- Wrap the ham joint in aluminium foil
- Place the wrapped ham joint in the air fryer basket
- Air fry for 10 minutes
- Check that the internal temperature of the ham is at least 75 C (167 F)
- Remove from the basket
- Serve
Air Fried Precooked Ham Joint Cooking Tips
- Wrapping the ham joint in foil prevents it from burning whilst allowing it to heat up sufficiently to be safe to eat
- The time quoted above is for a 454g (1lb) precooked ham, you will need to add 10 minutes per extra 454g (1lb) in weight
- Take care when opening the foil as hot steam will escape
- Use oven gloves or tongs to remove the foil wrapped ham from the air fryer basket
- Ham should only be reheated once and only then as long as you are sure it has achieved a high enough temperature to be safe (75C /167 F)
How To Make A Glaze For A Gammon Joint
Making a glaze is not entirely necessary when cooking a gammon joint. But if you prefer to, we have found the following to work well;
Using Marmalade As A Glaze
Simply spread a thin layer of marmalade over the joint after it’s 2nd time of cooking and then cook for a further 5 minutes.
Making A Honey & Mustard Glaze
This is a more traditional glaze for gammon and requires only 2 ingredients;
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoons runny Honey
Method
- Mix the mustard and honey together in a small bowl
- Using a pastry brush spread the glaze all over the gammon and cook for a further 5 minutes
How Long Does It Take To Cook A Gammon Joint In An Air Fryer?
Over here in the UK gammon joints tend to be most commonly sold in 750g or 1.1kg size joints. This makes it easy to calculate average cooking times.
The 750g joint will take around 40 minutes to cook and the 1.1kg joint will take around 50 minutes to cook. We recommend that you don’t rely solely on timings to determine whether the gammon is cooked.
You should always use a meat thermometer to be certain the meat has been heated to a safe to consume temperature.
We have a downloadable meat temperature guide which indicates the safe temperatures of all major meat groups that’s worth grabbing if you aren’t sure.
What do pigs most enjoy listening to?
HAM radio!
SEE ALSO:
- Can You Put Pork Chops In An Air Fryer?
- Can You Put Raw Shrimp In An Air Fryer?
- Can You Put Raw Meat In An Air Fryer?
- Can You Put Chicken In A Bag In An Air Fryer?
Frequently Asked Questions
You can air fry a gammon joint as long as it fits comfortably into the air fryer basket. Ensuring there are enough holes in the basket left uncovered by the gammon to allow adequate air flow.
A gammon joint will take around 20 minutes per 454g (1lb) plus 20 minutes over to cook in an air fryer at 180 C (350 F). Always ensure the internal temperature of the gammon reaches at least 75 C (167 F) before serving.
You don’t have to boil a gammon joint before roasting. If you decide to boil the gammon it will cook faster. But with an average cook time of around 40 to 45 minutes for a 750g gammon joint in an air fryer, it hardly seems worth boiling first.
It takes around 40 minutes to cook a 750g gammon joint in an air fryer at 180°C (350°F). This does not include the time needed to pre-heat the air fryer. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 75 C before eating. For more info, click here.
The most accurate way to tell whether a gammon joint is cooked through is to insert the probe of a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The internal temperature needs to be at least 75 C (167 F) to ensure it is fully cooked.
