How Long To Cook Gammon In Air Fryer | Times By Weight

Wondering how long to cook a gammon joint in the air fryer without ending up with dry slices or a raw centre? This guide walks you through timings, temperatures, and small tricks that make a big difference, so you can pull out juicy, richly flavoured gammon every time.

The right cooking time depends on the weight of the joint, the style of your air fryer, and whether your gammon is raw, smoked, or part-cooked. Once you understand the basic rule of thumb and how to check the internal temperature, working out how long to cook gammon in air fryer dishes feels simple and repeatable.

Air Fryer Gammon Cooking Time Overview

Most home cooks use a similar pattern for air fryer gammon: a steady cook at 170–180°C wrapped in foil, then a shorter uncovered blast to brown the fat and glaze. The table below gives a clear starting point based on the weight of your joint.

Gammon Weight	Main Cook At 170–180°C	Typical Total Time*
500g	25 minutes	45 minutes
750g	35 minutes	55–60 minutes
1kg	50 minutes	70 minutes
1.2kg	55 minutes	75–80 minutes
1.5kg	70 minutes	90–95 minutes
1.8kg	80 minutes	100–105 minutes
2kg	90 minutes	110–120 minutes

*Times are a guide for boneless joints wrapped in foil, then finished uncovered until the fat is crisp and the centre reaches a safe temperature.

How Long To Cook Gammon In Air Fryer For Different Weights

If you keep only one rule in your head, make it this: cook gammon in the air fryer for around 25 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 15–20 minutes, at 170–180°C. That rule works for most boneless joints that fit comfortably inside a standard basket or drawer style air fryer.

To answer how long to cook gammon in air fryer recipes with more accuracy, check the label on your joint. If it is already cured and part-cooked, the timing tends to sit at the lower end of the range in the table. Raw, unsmoked gammon usually needs the full time, and sometimes a few extra minutes, before the centre hits the right temperature.

Raw Versus Pre-Cooked Gammon Joints

Raw gammon behaves more like a fresh pork joint, so it takes longer to cook through than a pre-cooked or “ready to eat” ham joint. A 1kg raw joint often needs the full 70 minutes in the guide, while a similar pre-cooked joint may be ready closer to 55–60 minutes.

If you are unsure which type you have, read the packaging carefully. Wording such as “cook before eating” signals a raw or only lightly processed joint. Phrases such as “ready to eat” or “ready to serve” usually belong to fully cooked ham, which you only need to heat through and glaze.

Bone-In Versus Boneless Gammon

Bone-in gammon can taste rich and tender, but the bone slows down cooking and can throw your timings off. Heat travels less evenly through the joint, so the area closest to the bone is often the last part to reach a safe temperature.

For bone-in joints, follow the same 25 minutes per 500g plus 15–20 minutes rule, then test with a thermometer in the thickest part right beside the bone. Expect to add an extra 10–15 minutes in total for larger bone-in cuts, checking every 5 minutes toward the end.

Why Internal Temperature Matters More Than The Clock

Every air fryer model pushes air slightly differently, and kitchen thermometers are not always perfectly aligned. The safest way to judge doneness is a mix of timing and internal temperature instead of the clock alone.

For pork, including gammon, the UK Food Standards Agency advises cooking until the core reaches at least 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent time and temperature pair, to keep harmful bacteria under control. You can read this in the Food Standards Agency cooking guidance.

In the United States, the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature chart lists 63°C (145°F) with a rest time for whole pork. Many home cooks in the UK still prefer to cook gammon closer to 70°C in line with local advice, especially when feeding young children, pregnant guests, or anyone with a weaker immune system.

Step-By-Step Method For Air Fryer Gammon

Good timing is only half of the story. The way you prep, wrap, and rest the joint also shapes how juicy your slices turn out. This simple method pairs well with almost any glaze.

1. Prepare The Gammon Joint

Take the gammon out of the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking so it can lose some of the chill. Remove any plastic, netting, or paper, then pat the joint dry with kitchen towel so the fat browns more evenly.

If the joint seems salty, submerge it in cold water in a large bowl for 30–60 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Soaking pulls out a little of the excess salt, which gives you more control over seasoning later.

2. Preheat And Line The Air Fryer

Set the air fryer to 170–180°C and let it preheat for a few minutes if your model asks for that. Cut a piece of kitchen foil large enough to wrap around the joint and place it in the basket, shaping it into a shallow tray so that any juices stay contained.

Preheating helps the gammon start cooking evenly straight away instead of sitting in a lukewarm basket while the air fryer warms up. The foil stops sugary glazes from burning on the base and makes cleaning easier later.

3. Wrap, Cook, And Turn

Place the joint on the foil, fat side up, and wrap it loosely but securely so steam can circulate while juices stay close to the meat. Slide the basket into the air fryer and start the timer based on the weight you worked out earlier.

Roughly halfway through the main cook, open the air fryer and turn the joint over using tongs so that both sides spend time closest to the heat. Re-wrap the foil and continue cooking.

4. Add Glaze And Brown The Fat

When the timer shows about 15–20 minutes left, open the basket and unwrap the foil so the fat is exposed. Score the fat lightly in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, then brush on your chosen glaze.

Return the joint to the air fryer, uncovered or loosely tented with foil at the edges if the glaze tends to splash. This final stage is where the surface colour develops, and the fat turns from pale and soft to browned and crisp.

5. Check Temperature And Rest The Gammon

As soon as the thickest part of the joint reaches 70°C on a meat thermometer, take the basket out of the air fryer. If you do not own a thermometer, slice gently into the centre and check that the meat is steaming hot with no raw pink patches near the middle.

Move the gammon to a board, wrap it loosely in foil, and rest it for at least 10–15 minutes before carving. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat so they stay in the slices instead of running out on the board.

Timing Tweaks For Different Air Fryer Styles

Not all air fryers handle heat in the same way. Basket models, dual zone cookers, and oven-style air fryers each move air across the joint slightly differently, so the clock is always a guide instead of a rigid rule.

Basket Air Fryers

Standard basket air fryers tend to cook slightly faster near the outer edges of the basket. Place the gammon in the centre on a foil sling so you can lift and turn it easily. If your basket has a strong fan, you may find that the suggested times in the table are on the higher side, and you can start checking the internal temperature five to ten minutes earlier.

Oven-Style And Dual Zone Air Fryers

Oven-style air fryers with shelves can brown food at the top more quickly, especially near the heating element. Keep the gammon on a middle shelf where the air flow is more even, and rotate the tray once or twice during cooking.

Dual zone models come in handy when you want gammon and side dishes ready together. Run the joint in one drawer on the timings in this guide, then start potatoes or vegetables in the second drawer so everything finishes in step. If both drawers share a single heating element, check the manual, as times can stretch slightly when both zones are full.

Common Gammon Air Fryer Mistakes And Fixes

Even experienced cooks sometimes end up with burnt glaze, tough edges, or a salty kick that overpowers every side dish. The troubleshooting table below matches common results with likely causes and simple fixes for your next attempt.

Problem	Likely Cause	What To Change Next Time
Outside dark, centre still undercooked	Temperature set too high or joint too close to the element	Drop the heat by 10–20°C, wrap more tightly in foil, and extend the main cook time
Dry slices around the edges	Cooked far past 70°C or rested for too long without foil	Start checking the temperature earlier and rest under a loose foil tent
Glaze burnt or bitter	Sugary glaze added too early during the cook	Add glaze only in the last 15–20 minutes and move the joint slightly away from the element
Fat soft and pale after cooking	Joint stayed wrapped in foil for the whole time	Unwrap for the final 10–15 minutes so the fat can brown in direct heat
Gammon tastes overly salty	No pre-soak or rinse before cooking	Soak the joint in cold water for 30–60 minutes, then pat dry before cooking
Uneven colour on different sides	Joint sat in one position for the full cook	Turn the joint halfway through and rotate the basket or tray if your air fryer heats unevenly
Sticky bits baked onto the basket	No foil or liner under the joint	Use a foil tray or liner, making sure it does not block the air vents

Final Tips For Reliable Air Fryer Gammon

Weigh the joint, do the simple 25 minutes per 500g plus 15–20 minutes calculation, and write that time down before you start. Use the clock to guide you, but listen to your thermometer and your eyes when you decide whether the gammon is ready.

Give the joint time to lose its fridge chill, soak if the gammon tastes especially salty, and rest before carving. Stick to these habits and the timing for air fryer gammon soon feels natural, so you can spend more time on glazes and side dishes instead of watching the timer with concern.