Klippies and Coke gammon

Wow! Three words all South Africans love in one sentence, Klippies, Coke, and gammon. Who would have thought that such a combination would be so lekker? But is cooking gammon in Coke a South African recipe? You had better believe it!

Klippies and Coke

The British have their cider, the Americans their cocktails, but the South Africans have their brandy and Coke mixed to a potency that is enough to put hairs on your chest! This tasty tipple is especially popular during the festive period, making it the perfect pairing for all that delicious South African Christmas food you’re about to dig into!

So, why do we call our brandy Klippies? Surely, we aren’t putting pebbles in our Coke? Klippies is the nickname us Saffas give to Klipdrift Export brandy. Established in 1938, this brandy has been a favourite amongst South Africans for more than eighty years! Made from the finest grapes, distilled and matured in French Oak barrels for three years, it’s no wonder it has an alcohol potency of 43%! In the words of a typical South African Oupa, “pasop dit skop!”

Gammon in Coke

While you may think putting gammon in Coke is a rather odd idea, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Coke is an excellent liquid to use as a glaze due to its sweet taste, which compliments the smoky saltiness of the gammon to perfection. Once cooked to a dark sticky glaze, the Coke’s sweet flavour is enhanced with sweet, spicy tones, which makes sense when Coke’s secret formula is rumored to contain cinnamon, citrus fruit, and vanilla. See why we say it’s such a good combination with gammon?

Without further dallying, let’s dive into a South African gammon recipe with a twist. Enter center stage glazed gammon done Klippies style. In fact, this gammon recipe is so tasty, we guarantee in the future, you won’t cook your gammon any other way!

Christmas gammon glazed with Klippies and Coke

To make this gammon recipe, you will need the following ingredients.

Gammon

• Large gammon 3kg (bone-in or out depending on preference)
• 330ml ginger ale
• 330ml beer
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 1 brown onion, peeled and sliced into quarters
• ½ stick cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• Water to cover the gammon
• Whole cloves to stud gammon

Glaze

• 330 ml Coca-cola
• 45 ml Klipdrift brandy
• 5 ml hot English mustard
• 25 ml Dijon mustard
• 10 ml fresh lemon juice
• 5 ml instant coffee
• 100 ml brown sugar

What to do for the gammon

• Put the gammon into a large deep pot and add the beer, ginger ale, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, onion, and peppercorns. Add enough water to cover the gammon.
• Once the beery liquid begins to boil, reduce the heat and allow the gammon to simmer.
• The length of time the gammon takes to cook will depend on the size and whether it is boneless or bone-in. Most packaging will indicate the cooking time required; however, the cooking time ranges between 35-45 minutes per kilogram for boneless gammon, and for bone-in gammon, between 45-55 minutes per kilogram.
• Ensure the water remains topped up throughout the cooking time; check the pot regularly.
• When the gammon is cooked, remove the pot from the stove and allow the gammon to cool completely while still in the liquid. *Tip cook the day before and allow the gammon to cool overnight)
• Once cool, remove the gammon from the liquid and peel off the rind. Then place it in a large oven dish.
• Cut a diamond pattern into the top of the gammon using a sharp knife.
• Take the whole cloves and stud the gammon (place whole cloves at the intersecting points of each diamond)

What to do for the glaze

• Preheat the oven to approximately 220 C.
• Pour the Coke into a shallow frying pan or wok and place on high heat. Allow it to boil until the liquid reduces by half, then remove from the heat.
• Add the coffee powder, mustard powder, Dijon mustard, and sugar and whisk briskly until thoroughly blended.
• Place the shallow pan back onto the heat and boil on high heat for approximately seven minutes. Remember to stir frequently. When ready, the liquid should have a slightly syrupy consistency.
• Then remove the shallow pan from the heat and stir in the brandy and lemon juice.
• Pour the syrup over the gammon and cook for 25-35 minutes. Continue to baste the meat every 5 minutes; using a large spoon, scoop the syrup from the bottom of the oven dish and drizzle over the meat.
• The gammon should develop a thick sticky brown crust; once this happens, remove it from the oven and baste with the remaining syrup left in the pan.
• Allow the gammon to rest for 15 minutes before serving with potato salad and fresh greens. Alternatively, place the gammon in the fridge for approximately four hours if serving the meat cold.

Now that certainly puts a whole new spin on a traditional glazed gammon recipe! One last tip before you settle down with the rest of the Klippies in an actual glass of Coke, don’t throw away the cooking liquid! Instead, use it to make stock for delicious soups and stews.

Advice for SA expats from the experts at FinGlobal

Take the time to savour your Klippies and Coke while the experts at FinGlobal take care of all your immigration requirements. Our financial advice is as good as the Klippies we all know and love. Trusted by expats who have taken the leap of immigration before you, our clients have peace of mind knowing their immigration plan is tailored to suit their needs.

Our professional advisors are knowledgeable and experienced, and can assist you with tax queries, retirement annuity payments, and pensions, to name a few. Our experience in the immigration industry spans more than a decade, and we are proud to provide assistance to expats destined for or living on greener shores.

For friendly advice from the team at FinGlobal, get in touch with us to discuss your emigration requirements today. To discuss your unique needs with our team, simply get in touch with us. Give us a call on +27 28 312 2764 or send us an email at info@finglobal.com, and we will assist you promptly.