Slow Cooker Ham in Coca-Cola

This is a great winter warmer of a recipe, that you can make in a casserole dish in the oven if you don't have a slow cooker. I got a slow cooker for my birthday this year - they use a lot less energy to cook than an oven, and you can put something on in the morning and come home to a cooked dinner, which is great if you are out at work all day.

I've made ham in Coca Cola before from a Nigella recipe but this recipe is adapted from the Hamlyn book "200 slow cooker recipes".

To serve 4, you need:

1.25kg boneless gammon joint

8 cloves

1 onion, cut into wedges or use baby onions

2 carrots, thickly sliced

2 bay leaves

900ml Coca Cola

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. tomato puree

2 tsp English mustard

First stud the onion with the cloves

Place the gammon in the slow cooker and surround with the vegetables and bay leaves

Pour the cola into a saucepan, add the sugar, tomato puree and mustard and bring to the boil, stirring.

Pour over the gammon, place the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on according to the manufacturer's instructions - this takes about 6-7 hours to cook on high, but as I am out of the house for longer than that, I had my slow cooker then switch to its 'keep warm' mode.

When the gammon has cooked it will be lovely and tender and the sauce will have reduced though I find that liquids in slow cookers don't really thicken.

The gammon fell apart at the touch it was so tender, and it tasted lovely 

I served this with new potatoes, vegetables and some leftover cauliflower cheese but you can serve it with whatever you like.