How to Cook Gammon Steak in a Pan
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Learning how to cook gammon steak gives you a quick British dinner with very little preparation. The cured pork has a salty, ham-like flavor and browns nicely in a griddle pan or skillet. I like mine with pineapple, although a fried egg on top is another traditional favorite.
I usually cook gammon on the stove, where I can keep an eye on it and take it out as soon as it’s done. There’s no marinade to prepare or sauce to simmer, and I love how easy it is to make this dish.
How to Cook Gammon Steak at a Glance
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Cuisine: British
Main ingredients: Raw gammon steaks and vegetable oil
Cooking method: Stovetop griddle pan or skillet
Storage: Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 2 days or freeze
Why You’ll Love It
- No long preparation: You don’t need to marinate the meat or make a separate sauce.
- A small grocery list: You only need gammon steaks, oil and seasoning, along with pineapple, eggs and/or herbs if you like. How to cook gammon steak doesn’t mean you have to buy a ton of ingredients.
- Pub dinner at home: Gammon steak with egg or pineapple is a familiar British favorite you can cook easily at home.
Gammon Steak Ingredients
The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Gammon steaks: Choose raw cured pork-leg steaks, smoked or unsmoked.
- Vegetable oil: A light coating helps prevent sticking, so you don’t need to pour a deep layer into the pan. I used vegetable oil but you can use your preferred cooking oil.
- Parsley: Sprinkle some over the cooked steaks if you like. It’s an optional garnish and you can use another herb instead if you want.
- Optional toppings: Have fried eggs or drained pineapple rings ready if you want them as a topping. Canned pineapple is fine.
How to Cook Gammon Steaks
The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Snip the fatty edge so the steaks can lie flat, then lightly oil the meat. Cook in a preheated griddle pan or skillet, flipping halfway through. Check the center with a meat thermometer, then finish with optional herbs and your chosen topping.
What is Gammon Steak Called in America?
In Britain, gammon steak means a slice of cured pork leg that needs cooking. Curing and smoking don’t necessarily cook the meat. Once cooked, gammon is ham, although we still call the finished dish gammon steak in the UK.
In the US, ham steak is the more familiar shopping term, but it doesn’t guarantee the same product. Many packaged American ham steaks are already fully cooked. For a more similar product to British gammon, ask a butcher for an uncooked cured pork-leg steak and explain that you want meat that needs cooking, not a ready-to-eat ham slice.
Check for wording such as “fully cooked,” “ready to eat” or “cook before eating.” A fresh ham steak is uncured pork and won’t have gammon’s cured flavor. Virginia ham isn’t a reliable alternative name for gammon, either, so don’t assume the name tells you whether the product is raw or cooked.
You can serve a fully cooked American ham steak with the same toppings, but follow its package directions for warming. Don’t apply the raw-gammon cooking time automatically. US guidance distinguishes reheating cooked ham packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140°F (60°C) from other precooked ham and leftovers, which should reach 165°F (74°C).
Gammon Steak Cooking Time and Temperature
Allow about 5 minutes per side as a general stovetop guide, but thickness and the product’s instructions matter more than the clock. Weight alone doesn’t tell you how thick a steak is. Follow the cooking instructions on your package and check the center before taking it out of the pan.
For raw British gammon, follow the package guidance. A thermometer endpoint is 167°F (75°C) held for 30 seconds in the center, or 158°F (70°C) held for 2 minutes. Insert the probe from the side into the thickest part without touching the pan.
For a US ham steak labeled “cook before eating,” US food-safety guidance specifies at least 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. These are different national temperature-and-time recommendations. Follow the guidance for your product and any more specific package instructions; if you use the US endpoint, allow for that 3-minute rest in addition to the cooking time.
Don’t judge doneness by a change from dark pink to light pink. Cured pork can remain pink after cooking, and grill marks only tell you the surface has browned.
How to Keep Gammon Steaks Tender
- Snip the edge: Cut through the rind and fat at intervals without cutting deeply into the meat. This helps prevent curling and uneven contact with the pan.
- Control the heat: Preheat according to your pan’s instructions. Turn the heat down if the outside is browned before the center is cooked.
- Avoid unnecessary cooking: Once the meat meets its package directions and safe temperature-and-time endpoint, take it off the heat. Leaving it in the pan longer might dry it out.
Substitutions and Variations
- Smoked or unsmoked: Either works here. Choose the one you prefer and follow its label instructions.
- Gluten-free: Check the gammon label for added ingredients and choose gluten-free condiments if needed.
- Dairy-free: The basic recipe is made without dairy. Use oil for any optional eggs and check your side dishes.
- Without pineapple: Leave it off, choose a fried egg instead or don’t use either. You don’t need a sweet topping to enjoy gammon.
Handy Equipment for Pan-Fried Gammon
- Griddle pan: A ridged pan gives the meat grill marks. A skillet also works though.
- Instant-read meat thermometer: Check the center of the steak without relying on its color.
- Kitchen shears: Snip the fatty edge before cooking.
- Silicone-tipped tongs: Flip the steaks without piercing them. Use utensils compatible with your pan’s coating.
What to Serve with Gammon Steak
Gammon and chips is a classic British pub meal, often topped with a fried egg or pineapple ring. Mashed potatoes, broccoli, carrots and green beans also go well with it. I like pineapple on mine, and you can warm the rings separately if you like.
Mustard, mayo or a little redcurrant jelly are options for the table. If you enjoy pineapple in savory dishes, my pineapple appetizers will give you some more ideas for another meal.
How to Store Gammon Steak
- Before cooking: Keep raw gammon refrigerated and follow the package’s use-by date and instructions after opening.
- Refrigerate: Cool cooked leftovers promptly and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Freeze and thaw: Freeze cooled cooked gammon in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and eat within 24 hours of fully defrosting. Follow any product-specific freezing instructions.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout. A covered skillet with a small splash of water helps limit drying.
- Make ahead: Freshly cooked gammon is best for this meal, but properly cooked and promptly chilled leftovers can also be served cold.
Gammon Steak FAQs
Either one will work if you’re learning how to cook gammon steak. A skillet is fine and a griddle pan does the same job but also gives it char lines.
Yes, if your product’s instructions allow it. Lightly oil the steaks and follow the package’s oven temperature and timing, then check the center with a thermometer. Don’t assume the stovetop timing applies in the oven.
Yes, but follow instructions for raw gammon and your appliance. A recipe written for fully cooked American ham steak may only warm the meat, so it isn’t a dependable guide for raw British gammon.
Salt is part of the curing process, so gammon is already seasoned before cooking. Taste the cooked meat before adding salt to taste, and choose unsalted or lightly salted sides if you prefer. If a product needs soaking before you cook it, follow the label instructions.
For steaks sold with pan-frying instructions, you can cook them directly in the pan. Large gammon joints have different preparation and cooking requirements, so don’t apply joint instructions to individual steaks.
Pan-Fried Gammon Steak
Ingredients
- 2 raw gammon steaks, about 4 ounces (115g) each
- Vegetable oil, as needed for a light coating
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 fried eggs, to serve
- 2 pineapple rings, to serve, drained if canned
- Parsley, to garnish
Equipment
- Griddle pan or skillet (frying pan)
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Kitchen shears
- Silicone-tipped tongs
Method
- Check that your steaks are raw gammon and read their package cooking instructions. If using fully cooked American ham steaks, follow their warming instructions instead of this raw-gammon method.
- Snip through the rind and fatty edge at intervals to help the steaks lie flat. Lightly coat the meat with vegetable oil.
- Preheat a griddle pan or skillet over medium heat, following the pan manufacturer’s directions.
- Add the steaks in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes per side, flipping with tongs.
- Insert a clean meat thermometer sideways into the thickest part. For raw British gammon, follow the package instructions and cook to 167°F (75°C) for 30 seconds or 158°F (70°C) for 2 minutes.
- After cooking and any required rest, taste the gammon and add salt and/or black pepper to taste. Garnish with optional parsley and serve with optional fried eggs or pineapple rings.
Notes
- Cooking time can vary, depending on thickness and type of gammon used.
- Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 48 hours, or freeze.
Other Recipes to Try
- My colcannon with Irish cheddar is a cheesy alternative to plain mash.
- These spicy roasted potatoes are good with gammon.
- For gammon and chips, these air fryer fries are a good choice.
- Funeral potatoes are a hearty potato side for a family dinner!
- Another tasty dinner is my pork steaks in mustard sauce.
Looks really nice this recipe, i love a nice gammon steak, thanks for sharing.
Simon
Me too, cheers for commenting! 🙂