Gammon Steaks with Cabbage Mash Recipe

Gammon Steaks with Cabbage Mash is a homely, satisfying dish that's perfect for chilly days! Serve with a few carrots, peas or asparagus and you'll dine like a king.

Gammon goes under various names in different countries (gammon is the British word for this ham). The depth of meat to the bone is greatest at the top of the hind limb, so cutting this piece from the side and curing it separately cures the meat easily and thoroughly prior to smoking.

Unfortunately, in US, many hams have brine injected into them (pound for pound, water is a lot cheaper than meat!!) and this changes both the taste and the texture. What you are looking for in US is probably country ham that is uncooked, cured, dried, smoked and made from a single piece of meat from the hind leg of a hog.

How to make Gammon Steaks with Cabbage Mash:

Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces of roughly equal size (A medium-sized potato is usually cut into about 6 pieces). Rinse the potatoes to remove any surface starch, then place them in a large pan with sufficient salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring the water to the boil then turn down the heat and cover the pan so that it continues to boil gently.

Cooking time can vary depending upon the type of potato and the texture. Generally, however, somewhere between 15 - 20 minutes is sufficient. When you think that the potatoes are close to being cooked, pierce one or two of them with a fork. If the fork penetrates easily with little resistance, the potatoes are cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and drain off the water. Add the butter and, using a potato masher, begin to break up and mash the potatoes. Add milk (or cream if you want to be decadent) until the texture is soft and light, then beat in the low fat soft cheese.

While the potatoes are cooking, finely shred the cabbage and cook it in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain well and season with salt and lashings of freshly-ground black pepper. Keep hot and add to the potatoes after they have been mashed. Stir in well.

Just before the potatoes are cooked, preheat the grill. Arrange the gammon steaks on the grill rack and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, while you are mashing the potatoes and adding the cabbage.

To make the parsley sauce, slowly blend the milk and corn flour in a non-stick saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly with a small whisk, until the liquid is smooth and has thickened. Finely chop the parsley and add it to the sauce. Cook gently, stirring, for about half a minute. Serve with the gammon steaks, mash and other vegetables of your choice.