Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 x 225 g gammon steaks (about 2 cm thick)
- 2 pineapple rings (fresh or well-drained tinned)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 40 g unsalted butter, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 600 g floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward, or Russet)
- 200 g frozen peas + 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 2 tsp English mustard
- Fine salt and black pepper
- Optional: 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F. Preheat a large baking tray. Cut potatoes into chunky chips (about 2 cm).
- 2. Parboil chips in salted boiling water (add 1/2 tsp bicarb if using) for 8 minutes; drain and steam-dry. Toss with 2 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper.
- 3. Brush 1 tbsp oil on the hot tray; roast chips 20 minutes, turn, then 15–20 minutes more until deeply golden.
- 4. Caramelise pineapple in a small pan with 10 g butter and 1 tbsp sugar, 2–3 minutes per side; keep warm.
- 5. Sear gammon in 1 tsp oil, 3–4 minutes per side until browned and 63°C/145°F inside; baste with 5 g butter; rest.
- 6. Fry eggs sunny-side up in 1 tbsp oil + 5 g butter, 2–3 minutes. Warm peas 3 minutes, drain, and toss with 20 g butter and mint. Plate with English mustard.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A proper pub classic: salty-sweet gammon with caramelised pineapple and a sunny yolk.
- Chunky oven chips that are crisp outside and fluffy inside—no deep fryer needed.
- Balanced plate: rich meat, bright fruit, buttery peas, and the zing of English mustard.
- All timings laid out so everything lands hot at once.
Grocery List
- Produce: Potatoes, pineapple, fresh mint (optional for peas)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, eggs
- Pantry: Gammon steaks, vegetable oil, light brown sugar, English mustard, salt, black pepper, bicarbonate of soda (optional)
Full Ingredients
For the chunky oven chips
- 600 g floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward, or Russet)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided (2 tbsp for tossing; 1 tbsp for the tray)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus sea-salt flakes to finish
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (helps rough up the edges)
For the gammon and caramelised pineapple
- 2 x 225 g gammon steaks (about 2 cm thick), rind trimmed
- 2 pineapple rings (fresh 1 cm thick, or well-drained tinned)
- 10 g unsalted butter (for caramelising pineapple)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vegetable oil (for searing gammon)
- 5 g unsalted butter (to baste gammon, optional)
- Black pepper, to taste
For the sunny fried eggs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 g unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
For the buttered peas
- 200 g frozen peas
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint (optional but lovely)
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
To serve
- 2 tsp English mustard
- Sea-salt flakes and extra black pepper, to finish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oven and prep the chips
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F. Place a large rimmed baking tray inside to preheat. Scrub (or peel) the potatoes and cut into chunky chips about 2 cm thick. This size gives a fluffy centre with a crisp exterior.
Step 2: Parboil and rough the potatoes
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil (1 tsp salt per litre). Add the chips and, if using, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda. Parboil for 8 minutes until the edges start to soften. Drain in a colander and let steam-dry for 2 minutes, then shake the colander gently to rough up the surfaces.
Step 3: Roast the chips until crisp
Toss the chips with 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp fine salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove the hot tray, brush or drizzle on 1 tbsp oil, and carefully spread the chips in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, turn each chip, then roast another 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Finish with a pinch of sea-salt flakes.
Step 4: Caramelise the pineapple rings
While the chips roast, set a small non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 10 g butter and 1 tbsp light brown sugar; melt into a syrup. Add the pineapple rings and cook 2–3 minutes per side until amber and sticky at the edges. Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm.
Step 5: Sear the gammon steaks
Pat the gammon dry. Heat a heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp oil. Sear the steaks for 3–4 minutes per side until well browned and the centre reaches 63°C/145°F. Add 5 g butter in the last 30 seconds and baste. Season lightly with black pepper (gammon is already salty). Rest on a warm plate for 3 minutes.
Step 6: Fry sunny-side-up eggs
In a clean non-stick pan over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp oil and 5 g butter. Crack in the eggs, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook 2–3 minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. For neater whites, spoon a little hot fat over the edges or cover for 20–30 seconds.
Step 7: Butter the peas and plate up
Simmer the peas in lightly salted water for 3 minutes, drain, and toss with 20 g butter, the chopped mint, and a pinch of black pepper. Plate the gammon, crown with a caramelised pineapple ring and the fried egg. Add a generous pile of chunky chips, a scoop of buttered peas, and serve with 2 tsp English mustard on the side. Eat hot.
Pro Tips
- If your gammon tastes very salty, rinse it and pat dry; in extreme cases, soak in cold water for 15–20 minutes, then dry thoroughly before cooking.
- Adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the parboil water helps rough the potato edges, creating extra crunch in the oven.
- Preheating the baking tray jump-starts chip browning—don’t skip it.
- Keep the pineapple on medium heat; you want deep golden caramel, not burnt sugar. If it darkens too fast, lower the heat.
- Warm plates make a difference—this dish is best piping hot so the yolk stays silky and the chips stay crisp.
Variations
- Air-fryer chips: Toss parboiled chips with 1–1.5 tbsp oil, air-fry at 200°C/390°F for 20–25 minutes, shaking twice.
- Grill/broiler method: Grill gammon and pineapple under a hot grill, 8–10 minutes total, turning once for charred edges.
- Maple-rum pineapple: Swap the sugar for 1 tbsp maple syrup and add a teaspoon of dark rum to the pan for a glossy glaze.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Parboil chips up to 24 hours ahead; chill on a tray, uncovered, to dry the surfaces, then roast as directed. Parboiled chips also freeze well—roast from frozen at 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F for 30–35 minutes. Cooked gammon keeps 3 days in the fridge; reheat gently, covered, at 180°C/350°F for 8–10 minutes or slice and pan-warm. Caramelised pineapple can be made a few hours ahead and rewarmed briefly. Buttered peas reheat well in the microwave. Eggs are best cooked fresh just before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: 930 kcal; Protein 48 g; Carbohydrates 86 g; Fat 48 g; Saturated fat 18 g; Fibre 10 g; Sodium 2600 mg. Values will vary with exact gammon saltiness and oil absorbed by chips.
