Jellied ham hock

This classic French dish, jambon persillé, is a staple on traiteur counters across France. It’s surprisingly easy to make, keeps for about a week, and is a lifesaver to have ready over Christmas. Serve it with crusty baguettes, a dollop of Dijon or moutarde de Meaux, and some tangy, crunchy little cornichons. Make it ahead of time for Christmas, and it’ll be perfect for Boxing Day alongside cold turkey or whatever festive joint you’ve cooked up.

For the best results, use a ham hock. The fat and rind can be layered with the meat and set naturally in the jelly. If you’re using a gammon joint, especially one from a supermarket, you might need to add more gelatin, as those cuts often have much less fat. In either instance it’s a brilliant way to create something delicious and unique.

Overview

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

2 hrs

Serves

6 -8

Ingredients

• 1 ham hock weighing about 1kg, or a gammon joint, skin on, weighing about 700g and soaked if necessary (if it’s been brined)

• A few sprigs of thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 onions, quartered

• 3 celery sticks

• 10 black peppercorns

• 2 sheets of gelatin (3.25g in total) if using a ham hock, or 4 sheets of gelatin (6.5g) if using a gammon joint

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

• 2 gherkins, sliced, to serve

Method

Step 1

Put the 1 ham hock into a large saucepan with a few sprigs of thyme, 1 bay leaf, 2 onions (quartered), 3 celery sticks and 10 black peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 2 hours, until the ham is completely tender, checking to see if the water needs topping up during cooking. Remove the ham from the liquid and leave to cool.

Step 2

For a ham this size, you will need to strain and reserve about 750ml of the cooking liquid to set it.

Step 3

Simmer the reserved stock and reduce it by two thirds, leaving around 250ml liquid.

Step 4

Soak the 2 sheets of gelatin leaves (if you’re using a gammon joint, use 4) in a shallow bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until soft. Squeeze out the water and add the gelatin to the hot cooking liquid. Stir until dissolved. Leave somewhere to cool to room temperature but do not let it set.

Step 5

Meanwhile, cut the ham and fat rind into small cubes, put into a small bowl and stir through the 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Put into either a ceramic terrine mould or a metal loaf tin (I often use a 1lb loaf tin).

Step 6

When the jelly is cool, pour the mixture over the ham until just covered and stir to distribute the parsley. Cover with cling film and leave to set in the fridge overnight.

Step 7

To serve, dip the terrine into a bowl of boiling water for about 15 seconds if using a ceramic mould, or 
2-3 seconds if your container is metal, and turn it upside down on to a chopping board.

Step 8

With a carving knife, cut it into 2cm-thick slices and serve on plates with 2 gherkins. Alternatively, scoop it straight from the mould with a large spoon.