Gammon Cooking Time Calculator
Enter the weight of your gammon joint for the cooking time, temperature, glazing window and resting time.
Use the weight as it goes in the oven, including any stuffing you have added.
Answer
1 hr 26 min at 180°C
What to do
- 1Prepare the gammon jointTake the meat out of the fridge, season it and get the tin ready.
- 2Preheat the ovenHeat the oven to 180°C.
- 3Cook at 180°CCook for 86 minutes.
- 4Check whether it is doneCheck the thickest part reads 75°C or more.
- 5Rest the meatCover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Resting is part of cooking, not dead time.
- 6Carve8 minutes.
How to check it is done
- Based on 22 minutes per 500g plus 20 minutes at 180°C, covered in foil.
- To glaze it, take the foil off for the last 25 minutes and turn the oven up to 200°C.
Next step
Food safety
- Pork should be cooked right through, steaming hot, no pink meat and juices running clear. With a thermometer, aim for 70°C for two minutes in the thickest part, or an equivalent such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
- Cooking times are a guide only. Ovens, joints and starting temperatures vary, so always check the food is cooked before serving rather than relying on the clock.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Source: Standard UK roasting guidance (Food Standards Agency doneness advice, common UK joint timings) · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.1.0
Reference and detail
Boiling first, or straight in the oven
Both work. Simmering the joint first keeps it moist and draws out some of the salt, which matters with a heavily cured gammon, then you finish it in a hot oven with the glaze for colour. Roasting it wrapped in foil from the start is less work and gives a firmer slice. The times here are for oven cooking with a foil wrap, with the foil opened for the glaze at the end.
The glaze
Take the joint out, cut the rind away leaving a good layer of fat, score the fat into diamonds and press in cloves if you like them. Brush on honey, marmalade or brown sugar mixed with mustard, then give it 20 to 30 minutes uncovered at 200°C. Watch it: sugar goes from glossy to burnt quickly.
Gammon or ham?
Gammon is the raw cured joint you cook yourself. Ham is what it becomes once cooked, or a joint that was cooked before you bought it. If your packet says ham and it is sold chilled and ready to eat, it needs no cooking at all.
How to check it is done
The middle of the thickest part should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds. Without a thermometer, a skewer pushed into the centre should meet no resistance and come out hot to the back of your hand. Rest it for 15 minutes before carving, and it slices just as well cold the next day.
Questions and answers
Questions about cooking gammon
Should I boil gammon first or just roast it?
Both work. Simmering the joint first keeps it moist and draws out some of the cure's salt before it goes into a hot oven for the glaze. Roasting it wrapped in foil from the start is less work and gives a firmer slice. The calculator above times the foil-wrapped oven method.
What is the difference between gammon and ham?
Gammon is the raw cured joint you cook yourself. Ham is what gammon becomes once it has been cooked, or a joint that was already cooked before you bought it. If the packet says ham and it is sold ready to eat, it needs no cooking at all.
How do I glaze a gammon joint?
Take the joint out towards the end of cooking, cut away the rind leaving the fat, score the fat into diamonds, then brush on honey, marmalade or brown sugar mixed with mustard and finish uncovered at 200°C for 20 to 30 minutes, watching it closely as sugar burns quickly.
How do I check gammon is cooked through?
The middle of the thickest part should reach at least 75°C. Without a thermometer, a skewer pushed into the centre should meet no resistance and come out hot to the back of your hand.
Food safety
Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
How long should gammon rest before carving?
About 15 minutes. It also slices well cold from the fridge the next day, so a joint cooked ahead is not wasted effort.
How much gammon do I need per person?
A bone-in joint carries more waste weight than a boneless one, so factor that in when buying.
Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.