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A South African Christmas Feast

Celebrate the flavours that shaped our festive tables: slow-roasted lamb, sticky glazed gammon, smoky braai favourites, and all the classic sides that taste like home.

Back in South Africa, Christmas isn’t just a meal — it’s a whole production. The heat, the laughter, the clatter of dishes, the uncles debating the braai like it’s a national sport… these flavours carry memories. Even in a wintry German December, you can still bring the spirit of a South African Christmas to your table with the dishes we grew up loving. Here you’ll find the classics, the must-haves, and tips to recreate them beautifully — no matter how far from home you are.

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Gammon

Gammon is a type of ham that has been cured or smoked, similar to bacon. It comes from the hind leg of pork and is prepared through dry salting or brining. It may also be smoked, depending on the variety. Gammon is meat that has been cured through salting, brining, or smoking and is sold raw, while ham is meat that has been dry-cured or cooked and is ready to eat. Simply put, once you cook gammon, it transforms into ham.
In Germany, you can occasionally find Gammon at Kaufland, where it is sold under names like “Kassler Schinken geräuchert” or “Kassler Braten.” Keep an eye out for these labels if you’re looking to enjoy this flavorful cut!  

💡 Tip from Our Community

If you’re looking to order gammon from a butcher, ask for Prager Schinken – leicht geräuchert, leicht gepökelt (with Schwarte if you prefer the rind). Opt for Strohschwein (free-range pork) whenever possible. Its quality ensures a tender and juicy gammon, as the alternative can sometimes be quite dry.

Christmas Gammon

  • 1 smoked ham
  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced 
  • 3 celery sticks, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 30 whole cloves for decoration
  • 45ml honey
  • 50g red candied cherries
  • 4 tinned pineapple rings
  1. Place the ham, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, 5 cloves and peppercorns in a large pot. 
  2. Cover it with warm water. Bring to the boil and boil for 50 minutes per kilogram of meat.
  3. Let it cool
  4. Heat the oven to 230 Degrees Celcius
  5. Take the ham out of the liquid and remove the skin. Keep a layer of fat on the meat.
  6. Cut a diamond pattern into the layer of fat and insert a clove in every diamond
  7. Place the ham on a baking sheet and brush with honey
  8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown
  9. Baste the ham every now and again with honey
  10. Decorate with ham and cherries (put a cherry in each pineapple  circle)

Buttermilk-Marinated leg of Lamb

Ingredients:

  • 1 deboned leg of lamb, butterflied
  • 125 ml buttermilk
  • 10 ml flavored sea salt
  • 2.5 ml ground black pepper

Basting Sauce:

  • 100 g melted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
  • 2.5 ml sugar
  • Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions:

  1. Pour the buttermilk into a glass bowl and place the lamb in it. Turn the lamb a few times to ensure it is well coated. Marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. Buttermilk is an excellent tenderizer, as it doesn’t draw out the meat’s juices or alter its flavor.
  2. Remove the lamb the next day and pat it dry gently with paper towels. Season with flavored salt and black pepper.
  3. Combine the ingredients for the basting sauce.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cover the lamb with foil and bake for 1½ to 2 hours, turning it once and spooning basting sauce over the meat.
  5. Remove the foil and roast for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.

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