Imagine one had bought an enormous leg of ham to feed their family on Monday night. And imagine one discovered on tasting the cooked ham that (despite following the butcher’s and Gary Rhodes’ preparation advice to the letter) it was unpalatably salty.
What might one do?
Hypothetically speaking, of course… 😉
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
Hypothetically- I would sit around and think of bizarre things (though not so bizarre) like : soak in several changes of cold water (soak in one of those big coolers), boil in several changes of water (in an enormous pot), or boil with a lot of potatoes (they soak up salt) – then after that, take it out, dry it off, and bake it..
but thats all hypothetical because I have never had the misfortune. Good luck!
Yes, I’d go for the potato version too – you could try lentils I suppose, they take up salt, but in a stew one would use quartered raw potatoes to leach off an overseasoning, so I’d stick to what I knew, some raw gammon can be horribly salty and if you know that BEFORE you cook it, you can soak it overnight in a bowl of water with a cup of oats in. Does the job a treat.
Mo – Hello and thanks for the advice. I did the second of your suggestions and brought the gammon up to the boil and changed the water three times. Still too salty though… Should have soaked it over night too. 😦
Kay – Hello and thanks to you too! Will try the lentil suggestion tomorrow. And will keep the oat suggestion in mind for next time. IF there is a next time. 😉
Boil said gammon in full fat coca cola…tastes fantastic and nowhere near as sickly as you would think.
I think maybe I would take this back to the butcher………it just is too difficult to get rid of that salty taste….you have lost the entire effect and purpose of having a nice ham for dinner,hypothetically speaking, that is……….
Adam – Doing this did cross my mind briefly. Remember seeing Nigella do the same and loved the glaze the ham took on. Thank you. Will let you know what happens.
Jann – This was my partner’s mother’s response too and I would do this except I don’t have time. Off to Perthshire to spend a week in a cottage with the family first thing tomorrow morning. And the butcher is closed today. 😦
Wendy I was going to recommend the coke method too. This might help cut the saltyness. Thanks Kay for the tip with the oats.
Turn it into a soup to dilute the saltiness? You’d have to use something other than normal shop bought salty stock….
Pat – Thanks! Trying everything out this afternoon.
Sophie – The ham was specifically for a big family dinner. Going to try and save it this afternoon. If it fails, soup sound good!
Cry? Throw things across the kitchen? Or perhaps cook it for a long time with some beans or lentils to soak up the excess salt?
Rosa – Did all of above. Thank you! 😉
oooo…I hate when that happens.
I think this suggestion probably comes too late … but, I would slice it and cover it with a very bland, unseasoned white sauce, served with plain boiled potatoes cooked in unsalted water. Hypothetically, of course. And then go and discuss it nicely with the butcher.
Hope it turned out okay
Joanna
Maryann – My first experience of this. Not pleasant. 😦
Joanna – Hmmmmm, this might have worked. Thank you. Will keep it in mind for the future! Will be having that conversation with the butcher though… 🙂
I think I would cut it up and use it in various recipes. Too bad it was that salty! I surely would ask the butcher about that saltiness.