Ham

Most ham sold sliced or whole for sandwiches is already cooked and can be eaten cold. Gammon is usually sold uncooked, so cook it thoroughly before serving.

For a cooked ham joint, warm it gently in a covered roasting tin with a splash of water or stock, at about 160 °C, until hot throughout. Uncover it for the last 15–20 minutes if you want to glaze the outside.

Wrap it well or put it in a sealed container and refrigerate it promptly. Eat sliced or cooked ham within three to four days of opening, and discard it if it becomes slimy or develops an unusual smell.

Yes. Separate slices with baking paper, seal them in a freezer bag and freeze. Defrost in the fridge and use within a day; the texture may be a little less tender.

Ham works well with mustard, cheese, pickles and chutney in sandwiches, and with peas, potatoes or eggs in a hot meal. Add it near the end of cooking to dishes such as pea soup or a cheese omelette so it doesn’t become tough.

For a similar savoury, salty filling, try cooked turkey or roast chicken. For a meat-free option, use sliced smoked tofu or a cheese with mustard and pickle.

Both come from the hind leg of a pig and are cured. Ham is generally sold ready to eat, while gammon is sold uncooked and needs cooking; once cooked, gammon is ham.

The names describe preparation rather than a completely different cut: baked ham has been cooked in an oven, while cooked ham may have been boiled, steamed or otherwise heat-treated. In the listed nutrition data, baked ham has 155 kcal and 9.2 g fat per 100 g, compared with 113 kcal and 3 g fat for cooked ham.