This post is sponsored by the Welsh Government's Food Division, Food & Drink Wales.
This ham cawl is a traditional Welsh gammon and root veg broth built around everyday ingredients and a slower, more considered approach to cooking. Created in line with the Welsh Government and Food & Drink Wales’ ‘Rooted in Wales’ campaign, it reflects the idea of choosing food that’s local, seasonal and close to home – a way of cooking that cawl has always quietly embodied.
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Cawl (known as lobsgows, or lobscouse, in parts of North Wales) has long been considered one of Wales’ most traditional dishes, but it began as something far simpler than the versions often seen today. At its core, it’s always been a straightforward everyday meal – a broth, stew and soup in one – built around what was available locally, whether that’s a few root vegetables, a piece of meat, or leftovers that needed using up. That’s part of its appeal, and why it still works so well now.
As part of the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales ‘Rooted in Wales’ campaign, there’s a growing focus on choosing food that’s produced closer to home. It’s a basic idea, but one that carries real impact – from fresher ingredients that haven’t travelled as far, to supporting local producers and having a clearer understanding of where your food comes from.
Dishes like cawl fit naturally within this way of eating. Traditionally made using what was available – inexpensive cuts of meat, seasonal vegetables and often enough to stretch across more than one meal – it’s a style of cooking that makes the most of local produce, while keeping waste to a minimum.
Shopping locally supports a more seasonal way of eating, reducing reliance on long-distance transport and energy-intensive storage. At the same time, it often means ingredients that taste better at their peak and retain more of their nutritional value. It’s a small shift, but one that contributes to a more sustainable food system overall – something that cawl has always quietly reflected.
Contents
What is traditional Welsh cawl?
Early versions of Welsh cawl were often made with home-cured bacon or ham rather than lamb, simmered slowly with leeks, potatoes and other root vegetables. Cooked over an open fire in a single pot or cauldron, it was left to gently bubble away for hours – sometimes even days – allowing the flavours to develop gradually. The fat would rise to the surface and could be skimmed off and used elsewhere, reflecting a time when very little was wasted.
No two cawls were ever quite the same. Ingredients varied depending on the season, the region and what each household had to hand, making it a naturally flexible dish long before that became a trend. While lamb later became more widely associated with cawl, particularly in modern recipes, variations using bacon, gammon or even beef cawl were once just as common.
Traditionally, the broth might be served first, followed by the meat and vegetables, though today it’s usually enjoyed as a single, hearty bowl.
How does this ham cawl recipe differ?
This recipe leans into the earlier roots of cawl by using gammon rather than lamb. While lamb is now more commonly associated with the dish, bacon or ham were often used in earlier versions, making this approach feel closer to how it would originally have been prepared.
Using gammon is also a more practical option. It tends to be more affordable than lamb, and it works well in a dish like Welsh cawl, giving a rich, savoury broth without needing much else in the way of seasoning.
While some traditional cawl recipes suggest leaving the broth to rest overnight, allowing the flavours to deepen before skimming off any excess fat the following day, I’ve opted for a quicker, easier method that still delivers a clear, well-balanced broth.
Rather than trying to be the best ever cawl recipe, this is intended as an everyday version – something that fits around how people cook now, while still holding on to the character of the dish.
How to make Welsh ham cawl
Here is a list of ingredients needed to make my Welsh ham cawl recipe. I bought my vegetables from Sullivan’s Greengrocers and my gammon joint from Market Deli, both based within Cardiff’s iconic Victorian market, home to a mix of independent traders and long-established food stalls.
Ingredients
- Gammon joint (smoked or unsmoked – using smoked gammon can enhance flavour, but you may need to soak it in water beforehand to reduce saltiness)
- Onion
- Carrots
- Leeks
- Potatoes
- Swede
- Bay leaf
- Fresh parsley
- Black pepper
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients depending on what you have to hand, or what you can find in local produce shops and farmers’ markets. Check out Food & Drink Wales’ handy seasonal food calendar for a guide to what’s in season at different times of the year.
Method
This ham cawl recipe follows a fairly traditional method, starting with gently simmering the gammon to create a clear, flavourful broth. As it cooks, you’ll notice a layer of scum rising to the surface – skimming this off early on helps keep the broth clean and light rather than cloudy.
Once the gammon is tender, the vegetables are added and cooked just until soft, keeping their shape and texture. The meat is then removed, cut into chunks and returned to the pot before serving.
If you prefer a slower approach, this traditional Welsh cawl recipe can be adapted for the slow cooker, allowing the flavours to develop more gradually with minimal effort.
Welsh ham cawl recipe
Welsh Ham Cawl
Equipment
- 1 large cooking pot
- 1 fine mesh strainer or skimmer
Ingredients
- 700 g gammon joint boneless or on the bone
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 medium onion
- 2 large carrots
- 2 leeks
- 2 medium potatoes
- ½ small swede
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place the gammon in a large pot and add the water or stock – just enough to cover. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface using a mesh strainer/skimmer or shallow spoon.
- Cut the onion into quarters and add it to the pot, along with the bay leaf. Simmer gently for 60–90 minutes, until the gammon is tender.
- Remove the gammon from the pan and allow to rest, then strain the broth.
- Wash, peel and chop all the vegetables as above, keeping the pieces fairly chunky so they hold their shape during cooking.
- Add the carrots and swede, and continue to simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Add the leeks and potatoes, and simmer for a further 10 minutes. By now, the vegetables should be tender yet still holding their shape.
- Cut the gammon into bite-sized chunks, then return to the pot.
- Add the black pepper and chopped parsley, stir through and serve.
Notes
- Gammon can vary in saltiness. If needed, soak it in cold water for 1–2 hours beforehand to reduce the salt level.
- To ensure the broth stays clear, keep the heat low, avoid boiling, and skim early on.
- Like most cawl, this improves overnight. Traditionally, the broth would often be left to rest and reheated the next day, allowing it to settle and creating a deeper, more rounded flavour.
- Some recipes also suggest leaving the gammon in the broth overnight, then skimming any fat from the surface before reheating. This allows the flavours to deepen further and makes it easier to remove excess fat, resulting in a cleaner, more balanced broth.
- Don’t throw away your vegetable peelings – instead, use them to make soup or stock.
- Store any leftover cawl in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to six months.
Nutrition
How to serve your Welsh ham cawl
Cawl is best served simply. A bowl on its own works perfectly, but it’s often accompanied by fresh bread and butter to soak up the broth. Traditionally, Caerphilly cheese is served alongside. I’ve used Trethowan Brothers’ Gorwydd Caerphilly here, sourced from local cheesemonger Ty Caws at Cardiff’s Riverside Farmer’s Market, though a Welsh cheddar like Hafod works just as well.
I paired the Caerphilly cheese with tangy sourdough from Riverside Sourdough (also at Riverside Market) – the perfect vessel for the rich, savoury broth.
Traditionally, the broth would be served first, followed by the meat and vegetables, though it’s now more common to serve everything together.
Don’t miss my other Welsh recipes – here are some of my favourites:
- Welsh rarebit
- Glamorgan sausages
- Welsh cakes
- Bara brith (Welsh fruit loaf)
- Welsh Porc faggots
- Crempogau (Welsh pancakes)
Do you have a favourite cawl recipe, or a preferred cut of meat you like to use? I’d love to hear how you make yours.
This post is sponsored by the Welsh Government's Food Division, Food & Drink Wales.
I’ve always loved a Welsh Lamb cawl but I’ve never made a gammon or ham cawl before. It sounds delicious, and I bet the meat gives the broth a lovely flavour.
Thanks Gemma! Give it a go – I bet you’ll be happy with the result. The broth has a well-rounded flavour and the gammon becomes so tender during cooking.