Fast food suppers – then there's gammon!

If you don't fancy slow cooking a whole chicken or would like another idea – slow cook a gammon joint, smoked or not - to your own taste.

I always slow cook gammon in vegetable stock. Seal your joint – carefully in a drop of rapeseed oil and transfer to your slow cooker. Bring your stock to the boil and then pour over the gammon. You'll need enough stock to cover two thirds of the gammon. As a guide a 1.6kg/3lb 8oz joint – boneless and rolled – slow cooked for four hours will give you 6-8 portions, you can cook it for longer if you want to achieve “pulled pork”.

Gammon is perfect for the slow cooker and it's versatile. Use as an alternative to go with Squeak, Champ or Colcannon. Beetroot would make a great side – relish or roasted – check out the Beetroot label for recipes.

Leftovers or deliberates – the same applies as with any meat or poultry buy as large a joint or bird as you can afford. You don't have to rush to transform the gammon (or anything else you're slow cooking for that matter) if you're pushed for time then, as an example, freeze your leftover gammon – in lumps. If you slice the gammon and then freeze it will dry out. Defrost in the fridge then slice or cube to suit. If you have a large lump then cut in half – wrap, bag and freeze. Oh and don't forget the stock too.

If you've been following the multitasking principles, lets take a moment and review the contents of your freezer to date. You've cooked a roast – whilst you were at it you've filled your oven with fish and potatoes and used your slow cooker. You've slow cooked a chicken and have bags of meat – probably mixed – anise stock and vegetable stock ready for sauces and/or soups and/or a joint of gammon too.

Don't forget to shop smart – check out the deals.

You've made the most of your time, saved money on your electricity/gas bill, saved money on your grocery bill and your freezer is snug with real food – ready to complete your own “ready” meals. If you play your cards right and cook this way, you'll have at least one week each month where all you need to do is pull ready cooked food from your freezer.

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