Smoked Gammon on the Grate
A cured ham joint cooked slow over indirect coals, glazed with honey and mustard at the end.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 65
- protein
- 38 g
- serves
- 8, scales
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 240 min
- total time
- 255 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Cured gammon or smoked ham joint | 4 lb | bone-in holds moisture better |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 1/4 cup | |
| Brown sugar | 1/4 cup | |
| Wholegrain mustard | 1/4 cup | |
| Apple or cherry wood chunks | 2 or 3 fist-sized pieces | |
| Heavy foil | 1 roll |
Method
- Score the fat cap in a diamond pattern about a quarter inch deep. Do this at home if you can, it is easier on a table than a tailgate.
Gammon is already cured and mostly cooked, so the fire is not doing food-safety work here. It is doing two other things: rendering the fat cap so the outside is not rubbery, and pushing smoke into the scored cuts. That is why the coals stay banked to one side and the meat sits on the cool half. Direct heat over four hours would just dry it out.
The glaze goes on last for a reason. Honey and sugar burn well below the temperature the coals put out, so brushing early gives you a black bitter shell instead of a lacquer. Hold it until the last half hour, then paint every ten minutes and let each coat set. This is a car-camping or basecamp cook, not a backpacking one. The joint needs a cooler and the fire needs four hours of tending.
Packing
Joint stays in the cooler on ice, wrapped in a bag so meltwater does not reach it. Mix the honey, sugar, and mustard into a screw-top jar at home so camp glazing is one lid and one brush.
Variations
- Swap the honey for maple syrup if you want the glaze less floral.
- Leftovers diced into a morning hash with potatoes is the real reason to cook the whole joint.
https://braaiculture.com/7-lekker-smoked-gammon-recipes-for-your-braai-2025