If there’s one dish that always gets the thumbs up from every single member of my family, it’s this slow cooker ham in Coke. Honestly, the first time I made it, I was sceptical – cooking ham in fizzy cola? It sounded bizarre. But after trying it (inspired by Nigella Lawson’s famous version from the early 2000s), I was completely converted. The result is the most tender, succulent, sweet-and-sticky ham you’ve ever tasted.
I don’t always wait for a special occasion like Christmas or a family Sunday lunch to make this. Sometimes I cook this gorgeous gammon joint so we can have it with egg and chips during the week, or use the leftover slow-cooker ham for the most incredible sandwiches. The best thing? This takes virtually no time to prepare and minimal effort – the slow cooker does all the hard work for you.
Why you’ll love this slow cooker gammon recipe
This Coca-Cola ham recipe has become a family favourite for so many good reasons:
- Incredibly easy: Minimal prep, minimal fuss – just add everything to your slow cooker
- Foolproof method: Almost impossible to mess up – the slow cooker ensures perfect results
- Frees up oven space: Essential for holiday/entertaining cooking when your oven is full
- Tender and juicy: The ham stays wonderfully moist and literally falls apart
- Sweet and savoury perfection: The cola creates an amazing caramelised flavour
- Impressive presentation: Looks and tastes like you’ve spent hours on it
- Brilliant for leftovers: Makes incredible sandwiches, soups, and more
- Budget-friendly: Gammon joints are affordable, and they feed a crowd
Why does cooking ham in Coke work?
If you’ve never tried this before, you might be thinking it sounds completely mad. I get it – I thought the same! But here’s the science behind why ham cooked in Coke is absolutely genius:
The acidity: Cola contains phosphoric acid, which helps break down the proteins in the meat, making it incredibly tender. It’s the same principle as marinating meat in wine or vinegar.
The sweetness: The sugar in Coke caramelises during cooking, creating a beautiful sweet glaze that balances the natural saltiness of the ham perfectly.
Moisture retention: Cooking the gammon submerged in liquid keeps it from drying out. The cola penetrates the meat, keeping every bite juicy.
Flavour enhancement: While you might think the ham would taste overwhelmingly of cola, it doesn’t. The long cooking time mellows the flavour, leaving behind a subtle sweetness and a gorgeous sticky exterior.
The result is gammon that’s sweet, salty, smoky, sticky, and absolutely delicious. Trust me on this – even the sceptics in my family were won over after the first bite!
What ingredients you’ll need
The beauty of this recipe is how simple the ingredient list is:
For cooking the gammon:
- 1.8kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint (see my guide below for choosing ham)
- 2 litres full-fat cola (not diet – this is important!)
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 stick celery, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
For the honey mustard glaze:
- 100ml honey
- 3 tablespoons wholegrain or Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
All of these ingredients are readily available at any supermarket. The only thing to remember is to use full-fat, regular cola – not diet versions. The sugar content is essential for the caramelisation and flavour development.
Choosing the right gammon joint
Not all ham is created equal! Here’s what you need to know when shopping for your gammon joint:
Smoked vs unsmoked
Unsmoked gammon (which I use in this recipe) has a milder, more delicate flavour. It’s perfect if you want the cola and glaze to really shine through.
Smoked gammon has a deeper, smokier flavour with more complexity. It works beautifully in this recipe too – just know the smoky notes will be more prominent.
Bone-in vs boneless
Boneless gammon joints (like I use here) are easier to slice and fit better in most slow cookers. They’re convenient and cook evenly.
Bone-in gammon (ham on the bone) has even more flavour because the bone releases collagen and richness as it cooks. However, it takes up more space in your slow cooker. If you go for bone-in, you can use the leftover bone for making incredible soup stock!
Size matters
For this recipe, I use a 1.8kg joint, which feeds 6-8 people generously with leftovers. Make sure your gammon will fit in your slow cooker! Most slow cookers will accommodate up to a 2kg joint comfortably.
If you’re cooking for a larger crowd, you can use a bigger joint – just adjust the cooking time accordingly (roughly 1 hour per 500g on medium-high, or 1.5 hours per 500g on low).
Should you soak gammon before cooking?
Modern gammon joints are typically mild-cure and don’t need soaking. However, if you’re worried about salt content, you can:
- Soak the joint in cold water for 4-8 hours (or overnight), changing the water once or twice
- Or, place it in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil for 5 minutes, drain, and then start with fresh cola in the slow cooker
I don’t usually bother soaking unless I know I’ve got a particularly salty joint. The cola actually helps balance any saltiness.
Why you must use full-fat cola
This is really important: you must use regular, full-fat cola for this recipe. Diet cola, zero-sugar cola, or any artificially sweetened versions simply won’t work.
Here’s why:
- Diet cola lacks the sugars needed for caramelisation
- Artificial sweeteners don’t react with the meat in the same way
- The flavour won’t develop properly
- You won’t get that beautiful sticky glaze
You can use any brand – Coca-Cola, supermarket own-brand, Pepsi, even Dr. Pepper (which gives a slightly spicier flavour). Just make sure it’s the full-sugar version!
How to make slow cooker ham in Coke
This is genuinely one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make. Here’s the step-by-step method:
Step 1: Prep your slow cooker
Add your roughly chopped vegetables (carrot, celery, onion) to the bottom of your slow cooker. These aren’t really for eating – they’re aromatics that add flavour to the cooking liquid and the ham. Scatter in your cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
Step 2: Add the gammon
If your gammon joint comes in netting or string, leave it on – this helps it hold its shape during the long cooking time. Place the joint on top of the vegetables in your slow cooker.
Top tip: If you’re worried about your gammon falling apart (which can happen if it’s very tender), you can tie it up with kitchen string before cooking. This keeps everything together nicely.
Step 3: Pour in the cola
Pour your 2 litres of cola over the gammon joint. The liquid should completely cover the meat. If it doesn’t quite reach, add a bit more cola or top up with water. Make sure the gammon is fully submerged.
Step 4: Slow cook
Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook:
Medium-high setting: 5-6 hours (I find 5 hours perfect in my slow cooker) Low setting: 7-8 hours
The cooking time can vary slightly depending on your slow cooker and the size of your joint. You want the gammon to be cooked through and tender, but still holding its shape. If it’s cooked too long, the meat becomes so tender it falls apart completely, which makes it difficult to glaze and slice later.
How to tell when it’s done: The internal temperature should reach 71°C (160°F). The meat should feel tender when you insert a knife or skewer, but should still hold together.
Step 5: Remove and drain
Once your cooking time is up, very carefully remove the gammon from the slow cooker. This is the trickiest part because the meat is hot and can be quite delicate. Take your time!
The easiest method is to pour off most of the cooking liquid first (save some for making gravy if you like!), then use two large slotted spoons or tongs to lift the joint out. Place it in a roasting tin or baking dish.
Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before handling – this makes it easier to work with.
Step 6: Score and prepare for glazing
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6).
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice away the tough outer skin (rind) from the gammon, leaving behind the layer of fat. Don’t remove all the fat – that’s where the flavour is!
If you like, you can score the fat in a diamond pattern using a sharp knife. Make shallow cuts in one direction, then in the opposite direction to create a criss-cross pattern. This looks beautiful and helps the glaze penetrate the meat.
Traditional touch: Some people like to stud the ham with whole cloves at the intersection of each diamond. I don’t do this because my kids aren’t keen on them, but it does look impressive and adds a subtle spiced flavour.
Step 7: Make the glaze
In a small bowl, mix together the honey, mustard, red wine vinegar, and Chinese five-spice. Stir until well combined. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
Step 8: First glaze and roast
Using a pastry brush, generously brush about half of your glaze all over the top and sides of the gammon. Be liberal with it – you want a good coating.
Place the tin in your preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Step 9: Final glaze
Remove the ham from the oven and brush or pour over the remaining glaze. Make sure you get into all those scored marks if you’ve made them.
Return to the oven for another 25-30 minutes, or until the glaze is sticky, caramelised, and starting to catch at the edges (but not burning!). The fat should be crispy and golden.
Basting tip: If you want an extra-sticky glaze, you can baste the ham with the juices from the roasting tin halfway through this final cooking stage.
Step 10: Rest and serve
Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat and makes it easier to slice.
Transfer to a serving board or platter, then carve into thick or thin slices as you prefer.
What to serve with slow cooker cola ham
This honey mustard-glazed gammon is incredibly versatile and works for so many occasions:
Christmas dinner: Serve alongside roast potatoes, cheesy potatoes, roasted vegetables, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower cheese, and all your favourite trimmings.
Sunday roast: Make it the centrepiece of your traditional Sunday lunch with roasties, Yorkshire puddings, seasonal veg, and lashings of gravy.
Casual weeknight meal: My family loves this served simply with fried eggs and chips. It sounds basic but trust me – it’s absolutely delicious and so comforting.
Buffet centrepiece: Perfect for parties – serve cold with crusty bread, pickles, chutneys, and a selection of salads.
Easter dinner: A lovely alternative to lamb, served with spring vegetables and new potatoes.
Boxing Day spread: Brilliant for using up that festive appetite with minimal effort.
The best ways to use leftover ham
One of the best things about this recipe is the incredible leftovers! Here are my favourite ways to use them up:
Sandwiches: Thick slices of leftover ham in crusty bread with English mustard and pickles – perfection.
Ham and egg breakfast: Fry up slices with eggs for the ultimate breakfast.
Soup: Use the ham (and even the leftover ham bone if you cooked bone-in) to make my leftover Christmas soup. The ham adds incredible depth of flavour.
Split pea soup: The classic pairing! Check out my slow cooker ham and pea soup recipe.
Pasta carbonara: Swap the usual pancetta for chunks of leftover ham.
Fried rice: Dice up the ham and add it to the fried rice for extra protein and flavour.
Quiche or frittata: Perfect for brunch dishes.
Pizza topping: Use instead of shop-bought ham for homemade pizza.
Ham hock terrine: If you cooked a bone-in joint, use the meat for a rustic terrine.
Leftover ham will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months – slice or dice it first, then freeze in portions for easy use.
Can you cook this gammon without a slow cooker?
Absolutely! While the slow cooker makes this ridiculously easy, you can achieve the same delicious results using your hob and oven.
Hob/stovetop method:
- Place the gammon, vegetables, and aromatics in a large pan or casserole dish
- Pour over the cola until the gammon is covered
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to the lowest heat
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer very gently for 2-3 hours (check occasionally)
- Add more water if the liquid reduces too much
- Once tender, remove from the liquid and follow the glazing steps as above
The only downside to the stovetop method is that the cola can bubble over and make a sticky mess on your hob. This is why I much prefer the slow cooker – it’s completely hassle-free!
Tips for the perfect slow cooker ham
Check it fits: Before you start, make sure your gammon will actually fit in your slow cooker! There’s nothing worse than discovering it’s too big after you’ve got everything ready.
Don’t overcook: While slow cookers are forgiving, cooking the gammon for too long (especially on high) can make it so tender it falls apart. You want it tender but still holding its shape for slicing.
Save the cooking liquid: The cola cooking liquid can be strained and used as a base for gravy, or frozen for adding to soups and stews for extra flavour.
Let it rest: Don’t skip the resting time after the final oven roasting. It makes the ham so much easier to carve.
Make it ahead: You can do the slow cooker stage up to 2 days in advance. Cool the ham, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, glaze and roast from room temperature (you’ll need about 40 minutes at 180°C, then turn the heat up for the final glazing).
Adjust glaze sweetness: If you prefer a less sweet glaze, reduce the honey to 75ml. For extra tang, add another tablespoon of mustard.
Watch the final roasting: Keep an eye on the ham during the final 30 minutes – the glaze can go from perfectly caramelised to burnt quite quickly. Every oven is different!
Variations and substitutions
This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Here are some ideas:
Different sodas/fizzy drinks: Try Dr. Pepper for a spicier note, root beer for a more vanilla flavour, or even ginger beer for something different. Just stick to full-sugar versions!
Alternative glazes:
- Maple mustard: Replace honey with maple syrup and leave out the Chinese five-spice
- Marmalade glaze: Use 100g orange marmalade instead of honey for a citrusy twist
- Brown sugar and mustard: Use 100g dark brown sugar in place of honey
- Sticky BBQ: Add 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce to your glaze
Extra aromatics: Add star anise, whole cloves, or fresh ginger to the cooking liquid for more complex flavours.
Smoked paprika kick: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to your glaze for extra depth.
Pineapple style: Add a can of crushed pineapple to the slow cooker for a tropical twist (this is very popular in the American South).
Storage and reheating
Storing cooked ham: Once completely cooled, wrap tightly in foil or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Slice or dice the ham first, then freeze in portions in freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: To reheat slices, place them in a covered dish with a splash of water or apple juice and warm in a 150°C oven for about 20 minutes. Or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes until hot. The ham is also delicious served cold!
Frequently asked questions
Why is my ham too salty? Modern gammon is usually mild-cure and shouldn’t be overly salty. If yours is, try the boiling method mentioned earlier (boil for 5 minutes in water, drain, then proceed with fresh cola). Or soak overnight before cooking.
Can I cook a frozen gammon joint? It’s not recommended. Always defrost gammon thoroughly in the fridge before cooking to ensure even cooking throughout.
My ham fell apart – what went wrong? It was cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. While the meat will still taste delicious, it’s difficult to slice for presentation. Next time, reduce the cooking time slightly or cook on a lower setting.
Can I use the cooking liquid? Yes! While you can’t eat it as-is (it’s too sweet and concentrated), you can strain it, reduce it by half in a saucepan, and use it as a glaze or gravy base. It’s also brilliant for adding flavour to soups and bean dishes.
What if I don’t have Chinese five spice? Simply leave it out, or replace it with a pinch of ground cinnamon, cloves, and ginger mixed together.
Will this work with a pre-cooked spiral ham? While this recipe is designed for raw gammon, you can adapt it for pre-cooked spiral ham. Reduce the slow cooker time to 3-4 hours on low (you’re just heating it and infusing flavour, not cooking it). Then proceed with the glazing as normal.
Why this recipe works every time
After making this slow cooker ham in Coke countless times, I can tell you it’s virtually foolproof. The long, gentle cooking in liquid means the meat stays incredibly moist and tender. The cola does something magical – tenderising the meat while adding that subtle sweetness that perfectly balances the salt.
The honey mustard glaze provides the perfect finishing touch, creating that gorgeous sticky, caramelised exterior that makes everyone fight over the crispy end pieces. And because most of the work happens in the slow cooker while you get on with other things, it’s wonderfully low-stress cooking.
Whether you’re making this for Christmas dinner, a special Sunday roast, or just because you fancy something delicious, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you look like a culinary genius when really, the slow cooker has done all the hard work!
Check out these other slow cooker recipes
Easy slow cooker ham in coke
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 stick celery choppped
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 1 stick celery chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 litres cola
- 100 ml honey
- 3 tbsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
Instructions
- Add the carrot, celery, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and peppercorns to the slow cooker.
- Then place the ham joint on top.
- Pour in the cola, and make sure the ham joint is submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on medium/high. I find that 5 hours is enough in my slow cooker. You want the gammon joint to be cooked through and tender but still retain its shape.
- Once done, carefully remove the ham joint and place it in a baking tray or baking dish. You may need to pour the liquid away first, or use large tongs. Be careful as it’s hot.
- You want to slice away any of the top layer of tough skin so it leaves the fat. You can score it with a knife, or if you’d prefer not to, that’s also fine.
- Preheat the oven to 200c.
- Get a bowl, and mix the honey, mustard, Chinese five spice, and red wine vinegar.
- Using a brush, cover the ham joint with half the glaze. You can be quite liberal.
- Then roast the ham in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Then brush or pour over the rest of the glaze, and roast for a further 25-30 minutes.
- Leave to rest for 10 minutes, before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Did you make this slow cooker gammon joint recipe?
If you made this recipe for slow cooker ham, please leave me some star ratings and a comment below or tag @cooksimplyathome on Instagram. You can find other recipe ideas here.
Wonderful flavour! Anything that is recommended to do with the sauce?
The cooking liquid that’s leftover, you could strain, and add the remainder to several pots to freeze. Add to sauces or stocks to give a great ham flavour.