Learn How to Air Fry Gammon Steaks with these simple instructions. This British pub classic dish is incredibly easy to cook at home and air fryer ensures that the gammon is perfectly cooked with golden crispy fat. The only question is if you’ll serve with egg, pineapple or both?!
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I’ve been meaning to test and make gammon steaks in the air fryer for ages! And now that I’ve done it, I have no idea why I left it so long. I love air fried thick back bacon and how the fat gets beautifully golden and crispy whilst leaving the meat juicy and soft. So it makes sense that gammon steaks cook in exactly the same way.
I feel like eating gammon steaks is really quite a British affair – but please let me know in the comments if this is a common cut or meal in your country too. For many people it is a pub only order. And then for some of us, it is something that we grew up cooking and eating at home too. It is a really simple meal so don’t shy away from trying even if it’s new to you.
How to Serve
For something different, I love to pair gammon steaks with creamy cheesy dishes. I often make a stovetop or baked macaroni cheese. Alternatively, cauliflower cheese works really well too and is a really good way to use up leftovers from a roast. Add an easy side like green beans or corn on the cob to up the veg count.
Or you can go full Southern soul food and serve with a pan sauce made from coffee(!) called red-eye gravy and grits. Creamy wet polenta makes an easy stand in and is actually something that I do often serve with gammon.
Ingredients
Gammon Steak
Gammon vs Ham vs Country Ham
The simplest way of describing gammon is that it is uncooked ham. Usually made from the hind leg of the pig and always cured. Technically once you cook a gammon steak, it becomes a ham steak but we never use that term in the UK.
Ham steak is a term used in the US for ready-cooked thick ham slices. You can air fry a ham steak to make it crisp and hot but the cooking time will need to be reduced.
Country ham is much more similar to British gammon steaks and is more common (and I think easier to get hold of) in the southern states. If you can get hold of some thick sliced country ham, that is the best thing to use. “Centre-cut country ham” is going to be the equivalent to “horseshoe gammon”.
What to look for when buying gammon steaks
Gammon steaks are readily available to buy in almost all supermarkets and butchers across the UK but they’re not always created equal. Many of the cheaper, pre-packed options are made from “reformed ham”. Just like cheap ham slices, this is made up of smaller pieces of ham that are bonded together and then sliced into round steaks. These steaks are usually labelled as “reformed” but you might need to look closely at the label.
If that is all your budget allows then please go ahead and cook the reformed steaks. But the gammon steaks that I much prefer are cut in one slice from a whole gammon joint. The most common cut is called “horseshoe gammon”. This is a piece which is a sort of U shape but curls in on itself. The gap is from where the bone has been cut out.
You can also buy gammon steaks made from cured pork loin which look like, and basically are, extremely thick cut slices of back bacon. Or a cured pork loin steak. These are less common in supermarkets but some butchers prefer them.
The thickness of the gammon steak is the more important thing to look for. The thicker your steak, the easier it is to get some colour on the steak without drying out the meat. And I also like to make sure that there is a good layer of fat.
Do You Need to Soak Gammon?
Back in the day it was very common to soak gammons in several changes of cold water overnight or even a little longer. This is because they were very well salted and soaking the meat drew some of the salt out and made the meat more edible. But it is very rare that that is needed nowadays, the salt levels in ready to buy gammon are generally much lower.
However, if you are in the US and using country ham, I believe that this is much saltier and is best soaked overnight in cold water or even milk.
Oil
A little neutral oil rubbed onto the gammon before cooking helps the browning process to start and goes a little way to preventing the meat from drying out.
Seasoning
Note that I have not added any salt in the recipe. Gammon steaks are cured and should be more than sufficiently salty without needing extra.
I don’t add any extra seasonings or flavours either. It is traditional to serve the cooked gammon plain but with sauces/sides. I also prefer it this way but if you want to add other flavours, feel free to do so if you are confident of the flavour combination.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Gammon Steaks
The gammon steak that I cooked was around 320g/11oz which is a good size steak. It was around 1cm/just under 0.5″ thick which is always my preference.
This cooked perfectly in 15 minutes in a pre-heated air-fryer. I do not turn the steak as it has more than enough room for the air to flow.
I can only fit one steak of this size in my air fryer but if you have smaller steaks, or a much larger air fryer, you may be able to fit more. Or you should be able to cook multiple smaller steaks at once. None of these options will affect the cooking time. But if you are overlapping steaks a little or really crowning the basket, you will want to flip the steaks mid cook time.
However if your steak is significantly thinner or thicker, you may need to adjust the time accordingly.
How to Air Fry Gammon Steaks From Frozen
You can cook gammon steaks directly from frozen.
As always with cooking frozen meats, I recommend giving it a quick rinse under the tap to remove any ice crystals on the surface. Dry the steak well and then cut the fat and oil as normal. You will likely need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
There isn’t really a time when I’m not going to eat a gammon steak per portion so I don’t generally find that I have leftovers as such. If you are less greedy than me, you can store the cooked gammon in the fridge for several days or freeze it. Either way, make sure to wrap or cover it well.
Gammon can be eaten cold, added to other dishes or reheated and eaten as a steak. To reheat I prefer to use the microwave – add a drop of water to keep it moist. If you need to reheat in the air fryer, try to create similar conditions by loosely wrapping it in foil with a drop of water than heating until piping hot.
Use leftover gammon in any of these dishes:
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Gammon Steaks (Country Ham Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 Gammon Steak - around 320g/11oz each
- ¼ tsp Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 1 Gammon Steak.
- Use a good pair of scissors or a sharp knife to cut through the fat at regular intervals around 2cm/1" apart. Note: Make sure to cut all the way through the fat and a tiny way into the meat. This will ensure that you cut through the muscle that will contract and cause the gammon to curl as it cooks.
- Brush or spray over roughly ¼ tsp Oil. Make sure to evenly coat both sides.
- Place the gammon steak into the air fryer basket. Try to centre it so there is room for the air to flow all around the steak.
- Cook for 15 minutes at 200c/390f. Start with 10 minutes and then check if your steak is smaller/thinner than mine. Note: I don't find that I need to turn the gammon but you can if it makes you feel better (I get it) or if you find that it is often needed in your particular air fryer. But I don't need to using the rack in my air fryer.
- The fat should be golden and crispy and it is easy to see when the gammon is cooked all the way through.
- Allow to rest for a minutes before serving up. Spoon over juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer for extra flavour.
To Cook From Frozen
- Cook for 15 minutes at 200c/390f.
Notes
- Oil – I usually say to choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil. But with gammon I only like to use a neutral oil like vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – You don’t need to add any salt to gammon as it should be more than salty enough naturally. I’m not a fan of adding other flavourings but sprinkle anything you like onto the steak after adding the oil.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can just fit 1 large (320g/11oz) gammon steak in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
Such a fantastic way of cooking gammon steaks. I like mine seasoned with some dries mustard powder and they were perfect.
Lesley says
This recipe was so easy to follow and made for a really quick dinner.
Dave says
I hadn’t had gammon steaks for many years but I tried your recipe for air frying them and they were perfect. They’ll definitely be on the menu again soon.
Sisley says
This recipe made my day! (well dinner). So easy and so delicious.