THE PIG’s Slow-cooked, Honey-glazed Ham Hock

Our recipe with all the trimmings for your Christmas table...

This make-ahead festive recipe is from Kamil, THE PIG’s Group & Training Development Chef. Using ham hock from your local butcher, this cut of meat is succulent, juicy and glazed with our very own PIG honey and English wholegrain mustard for a gnarly, nutty and sweet finish – the perfect main for Christmas. 

Ingredients

Make ahead: takes 7½-8 hours from prep to serve.
Serves 4 (with leftovers)

• Ham Hock (approximately 1kg)
• 2 heaped tbsp PIG Honey
• 1 heaped tbsp Wholegrain Mustard

For the mirepoix:
(This will form the base to braise our Ham Hock before it roasts in the oven)

• 1 x large carrot, peeled and roughly sliced
• 2 x sticks of celery, roughly sliced
• 1 x onion, peeled and roughly sliced
• 1 x whole garlic (Peeled, with the bulb roughly chopped)
  Fresh herbs (we use a good handful of rosemary)
• Handful of black peppercorns
• Plenty of cold water

Method

1. First, make the mirepoix. Tip the sliced carrot, celery sticks, onion and garlic into a large, deep saucepan and place the ham hock on top with the rosemary and black peppercorns. 
2. Fill the saucepan with water until the ham hock is well covered.
3. Bring the saucepan gently to the boil (without a lid), then reduce to simmer for 4-5 hours.
4. As it’s simmering, frequently check the pan for foam and fat from the ham hock that will form on top of the water: skim this out using a ladle. You can remove most of the foam by gently placing the ladle in the middle of the pan on the surface of the water move it in small circles – this will encourage all the form to move to the sides of the saucepan, making it easier to scoop out.
5. Towards the end of the simmering time, pre-heat the oven to 150°C.
6. Place the saucepan in the oven (still without a lid on top) and steam roast the ham hock in the mirepoix for approximately 2 ½ hours until the meat is soft.
7. You can check if it’s ready by bringing the meat out of the mirepoix slightly using a pair of tongs and gently pull at the skin – the ham hock should feel like butter and break slightly beneath your fingers. Leave it to cool in the liquid until the water is manageable.
8. Meanwhile, increase the heat of the oven to 200°C.
9. Take your braised ham hock out of the mirepoix and onto a deep roasting tray to remove the bone. If it is ready, you will be able to easily twist the bone and pull it completely away from the meat.
10. Peel the fatty skin away from the ham hock using a butter knife – it should fall away easily.
11. Spoon the PIG Honey on top of the ham hock, and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until it looks golden and gnarly.
12. Lastly, spread your heaped tablespoon of wholegrain mustard over the top of the ham hock – spoon up some of the juices from the roasting pan and pour over the top to help cover it. Put the tray back in the oven to glaze for 5 minutes.

Serve with THE PIG’s Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Braised Red Cabbage and Maple Brussel Sprouts. 

Watch our Group Development & Training Chef, Kamil, dish up this proper PIG festive feast over on our Christmas YouTube series: PIG Tales.