The British cured-leg-of-pork tradition — the rear leg of the pig is wet-cured (brined) or dry-cured, then sold raw to be cooked at home. Once boiled, baked, or glazed-and-roasted, it becomes "cooked ham." Uniquely British as a category: distinct from fresh leg of pork (uncured), from Italian prosciutto / Spanish jamón ibérico / French Bayonne / German Schwarzwälder (air-cured-and-aged hams eaten raw), and from American "ham" (which usually refers to the cooked product, not the raw cured joint). Available smoked or unsmoked, on the bone or boneless, as steaks or as whole joints. Christmas-dinner gammon — boiled then baked with a clove-and-mustard glaze — is one of the cornerstones of British festive cooking.
Names by country
| Country | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Gammonprimary | Wet-cured or dry-cured raw leg of pork, sold to be cooked at home. Becomes "ham" once cooked. Distinct British category, not interchangeable with prosciutto or jamón ibérico. |
Free Gammon reference card
Diagram, cooking notes, and 8 names on one printable page.
Free. One-page reference.
Classic recipe
Shop
Affiliate links — CarneAtlas may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
