Wiltshire Ham with Parsley Sauce
Tender Wiltshire-cure gammon simmered in British cider and aromatics, carved into thick slices and served with a classic, velvety parsley sauce.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 95 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Small saucepan
- •Whisk
- •Carving knife and board
- •Measuring jug
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 14 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 48 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the gammon joint, onion, carrot, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a large stockpot.
- 2
Pour in the cider and add enough cold water to fully submerge the gammon.
- 3
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium-high heat on the hob.
- 4
Cover with a lid, lower heat, and simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 5
Transfer the cooked gammon to a board, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes.
- 6
Ladle out and strain 150 ml of the hot poaching liquor into a measuring jug.
- 7
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- 8
Stir in the plain flour with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 minute.
- 9
Gradually whisk in the warm milk and reserved poaching liquor until completely smooth.
- 10
Simmer the sauce gently for 4 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- 11
Stir in the English mustard and chopped parsley, then remove from heat immediately.
- 12
Carve the ham into thick slices and ladle the warm parsley sauce generously over each portion.
Chef's tips
Taste the poaching liquor before adding it to your sauce, as some cured gammons release more salt than others. If the gammon tastes very salty, dilute the liquor with extra milk or water. Add the parsley right at the end to keep its bright green colour and fresh herbal flavour.
Ingredient substitutions
- dry British cider → cloudy apple juice with a splash of cider vinegar
- plain flour → cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold milk (gluten-free option)
Storage
Store leftover carved ham and parsley sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat sliced ham gently in a covered dish with a splash of water at 160°C fan oven, and warm the sauce in a saucepan over low heat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the gammon vigorously rather than simmering, which makes the meat tough and dry.
- •Adding the parsley too early in the cooking process, turning the sauce a dull brownish green.
- •Over-salting the sauce without checking the salinity of the gammon poaching liquor first.
Serving suggestions
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