Just Layer Potatoes and Ham — The Most Addictive Casserole Ever

Just Layer Potatoes and Ham — Ham, Potato & Cheese Casserole

Presenter/channel: Backyard Chef — Rick

Ingredients

• Packet ham (pre-cooked). Optional: dunk briefly in boiling water to remove packet “slime” (Rick’s preference).
• Potatoes — peeled and sliced about 3 mm thick
• Onion — diced
• Garlic — minced (optional)
• Butter — for frying onions, greasing dish, and optional basting
• Plain flour — for roux
• Milk — for cheese sauce (plus extra to thin reserved sauce so it’s pourable)
• Dijon mustard — about 1 tablespoon
• Cheese:
  • A melting cheese for the sauce
  • Some mozzarella (added to sauce)
  • Parmesan for sprinkling on top
• Dry thyme and oregano
• Salt and black pepper
• Parsley — for garnish

“If you don’t want garlic, don’t use it.” — Rick

Equipment & prep

• Oven, preheat to 180°C
• Frying pan (for onions)
• Small saucepan (for cheese sauce)
• Whisk and wooden spoon
• Sharp knife or mandolin (mandolin recommended for uniform 3 mm slices)
• Baking/casserole dish
• Tray to sit under the baking dish (to catch any overflow)
• Foil (optional: rub with oil so it doesn’t stick)

Method — step-by-step

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Prep ham (optional): briefly dunk the packet ham in boiling water to remove the slimy coating; remove — do not cook further.
3. Peel and slice potatoes about 3 mm thick; set aside.
4. Dice the onion.
5. Fry the onion:
   • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add diced onion and a little salt.
   • Cook briefly (stop when lightly tinged) or cook longer to partially caramelize for extra flavor. Remove from heat.
6. Make the cheese sauce (small saucepan):
   • Melt a little butter, add minced garlic and cook ≈30 seconds.
   • Stir in flour and cook briefly to remove rawness.
   • Season with salt, black pepper, dry thyme and oregano.
   • Add ~1 tbsp Dijon mustard.
   • Whisk in milk until the sauce begins to thicken (use a whisk first, switch to a wooden spoon as it thickens).
   • Stir in grated melting cheese and some mozzarella until melted; turn off the heat once incorporated.
   • Reserve some sauce and thin it with extra milk so it’s pourable for the top layer.
7. Season potato slices with salt and pepper.
8. Assemble the casserole:
   • Grease the bottom of the baking dish with butter.
   • Layer potatoes across the bottom (use smaller pieces to fill gaps).
   • Sprinkle some cooked onions over the potatoes.
   • Add slices/chunks of ham.
   • Spoon some cheese sauce over the layers and add a little shredded cheese (don’t overdo it inside).
   • Repeat layers (potatoes → onions → ham → sauce) until the dish is filled. Keep some sauce aside to thin and pour on top.
   • Optional: brush potato surfaces with melted butter (Rick says optional since they’ll be under sauce).
   • Top with remaining cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
9. Cover loosely with foil (oil the foil if you prefer to prevent sticking) and place the dish on a tray.
10. Bake at 180°C: - Covered for about 40 minutes. - Remove foil and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, until bubbling and the top is browned to your liking.
11. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
12. Garnish with parsley and serve. (Rick debates whether this serves 4 or 6.)

Timing & temperatures

• Oven: 180°C
• Covered bake: ≈40 minutes
• Uncovered bake: ≈15–20 minutes
• Garlic in sauce: ≈30 seconds at the start
• Rest after baking: ≈10 minutes
• Potato slice thickness: ≈3 mm

Techniques, tips & common mistakes

• Season potato slices before baking; otherwise the potatoes can be bland.
• Fry onions first — partial caramelization adds deeper flavor.
• Dunk packet ham briefly in boiling water to remove the packet slime (optional).
• Reserve some cheese sauce and thin with milk so it’s pourable for the top.
• Use a tray under the dish to catch bubbling/overflow.
• Rub foil with oil if worried about sticking.
• A mandolin helps achieve uniform 3 mm potato slices.
• Don’t over-brown onions unless you want a stronger caramelized flavor.

Variations / options

• Omit garlic if desired.
• Cook onions lightly or caramelize more for extra flavor.
• Use different melting cheeses combined with mozzarella; finish with Parmesan.
• Use other types of ham if preferred (packet ham is a quick option).

Plating & serving

• Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley.
• Cut into portions (Rick suggests 4–6 portions) and serve hot.

Referenced source

• Video/channel: Backyard Chef — Rick (no external sources cited).