How to cook Gammon Hock
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine ham hocks, onions, garlic, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook at a bare simmer until hocks are very tender, 2 to 3 hours. Remove ham hocks from liquid, transfer to a cutting board, and pull bones from meaty and fatty parts.
Ingredients
Gammon Hock
1litre cider
A large onion
1 tbsp whole cloves
A tbsp dried tarragon
2 bay leaves
A small bunch of fresh thyme
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
Step 1
Place the gammon hock into a large deep saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil on the hob, and then discard the water and rinse both the pan and the gammon hock.
Step 2
Return the gammon hock to the pan, pour in the cider and then top up with more water until the joint is covered again. Peel the onion, cut into quarters and add to the pan along with all the other ingredients.
Step 3
Bring to the boil, and then put the lid on, turn right down and leave to simmer for about two hours. When the time’s up, remove the pan from the heat and leave the joint to cool in the liquid for a further half an hour.
Step 4
Drain the cooking liquid (tip – if you’re going to make the Rustic Terrine, save 250ml of the cooking liquid to use). Remove as much of the meat from the bone as possible, discarding any fatty or gristly bits, and then use two forks to pull it apart into small bite-sized pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in the fridge and use within a couple of days.
