Grilled gammon steak with bubble and squeak and cranberry sauce

Mark Hix
·3-min read
Matt Austin
You can leave the vegetables loose or serve them as a bubble and squeak cake alongside the gammon - Matt Austin

I can’t remember the last time I cooked or ate a gammon steak – probably not since my teenage years, when it would’ve come topped with a tinned pineapple ring. Do people even eat them any more? Or have they quietly disappeared from menus? Anyway, I decided to grab some and give them a festive twist with a sort of sweet and sour cranberry sauce, and guess what? It was absolutely delicious!

As for bubble and squeak, you can stick to the traditional route with leftovers or make it fresh, but for me, the key ingredients – besides potatoes – are always swede and Brussels sprouts. Sure, you can toss in other bits and bobs, but you don’t want it ending up like a random heap of roast leftovers. Keep it tasty, not trashy!

Overview

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Serves

4

Ingredients

  • 4 gammon steaks

  • Vegetable oil for brushing

For the bubble and squeak

  • Approx 300g white potatoes, cooked, or leftover roast potatoes, roughly chopped

  • Approx 12-15 cooked Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped

  • Approx 250g cooked swede, roughly chopped

  • 20g butter

For the sauce

  • 15g butter

  • 2 shallots, finely chopped

  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

  • 100ml beef stock

  • 3 tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

Step 1

Mix the vegetables (approx 300g white potatoes, cooked, or leftover roast potatoes, roughly chopped; approx 12-15 cooked Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped; approx 250g cooked swede, roughly chopped) for the bubble and squeak and season. You can either leave the vegetables loose to cook or if you want to press them into cakes then put them in a bowl and mash together to help them stick. This is particularly important if using leftover roast potatoes instead of boiled.

Step 2

Melt 20g butter in a large frying pan and cook the vegetables over a medium heat for about 6-7 minutes until coloured. If you have made bubble and squeak cakes, turn them halfway until golden and crispy on both sides.

Step 3

To make the sauce, melt 15g butter in a saucepan and gently cook 2 finely chopped shallots for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and simmer until reduced by half. Add 100ml beef stock and 3 tbsp cranberry sauce and a good couple of grinds of black pepper then simmer very gently for 5 minutes more until thickened. If it’s too thick just add a little water. Set aside while you cook the gammon.

Step 4

Heat a heavy frying pan and lightly brush with oil. Cook 4 gammon steaks over a high heat. If your gammon steaks are less than 1 cm thick, fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or if they are larger, cook for about 5-6 minutes on each side. You may need to cook these in batches if they are too big for the pan. Cover the cooked steaks loosely with tin foil while you cook the remaining steaks.

Step 5

Serve with the bubble and squeak and the sauce spooned over.

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