The Ultimate Ham Terrine: A Definitive Guide

Ham hock terrine is a classic French dish made from pork hocks, the unwanted but tasty part of a pig's hind leg. The meat is slow-cooked until tender, shredded, and then pressed with a savoury jelly made from the stock, along with herbs and spices. The result is a coarse pâté that can be served as a starter or buffet item, and it pairs well with crusty bread and chilled white wine.

Ham hock terrine recipes

A ham hock terrine is a great starter or buffet item for a large gathering as it can be made in advance. It is a good foundation for a coarse pâté-style starter. Here is a recipe for a ham hock terrine:

Ingredients:

• 2 small ham hocks, approx 1kg/2lb 4oz each
• Sunflower oil, for greasing
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• Small handful of parsley, chopped
• Caper berries, to serve
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• Gelatine

Method:

Put the ham hocks in a large pan with the stock ingredients. Cover with cold water. Set the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 and a half to 3 hours, or until the meat falls from the bone. Leave to cool in the pan. Grease a 1-litre terrine mould or loaf tin with oil, then line with cling film. Remove the hocks, then strain the stock through a fine sieve into a pan. Set aside.

Shred the ham, leaving some large chunks, and remove as much fat and sinew as possible. In a large bowl, mix the ham with the mustard and parsley. Press the mixture into the prepared terrine. Bring the reserved stock back to a rapid boil and reduce by half. Remove from the heat. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften, then add to the hot stock and stir well.

Pour enough stock over the ham to just cover. Tap the terrine firmly on a hard surface to knock out air pockets, then cover with cling film. Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight. To serve, remove from the mould and carve into chunky slices. Serve with caper berries and toast.

Variations:

Some variations on this recipe include adding coriander seeds, black peppercorns, white wine vinegar, gherkins, tarragon, and carrot to the stock. You can also add butter and prosciutto to the mixture before pressing it into the terrine.

Ham hock terrine cooking time

A ham hock terrine is a great starter or buffet item for a large gathering as it can be made in advance. The hock is the shin area of a pig's hind leg. Pork hocks are usually very cheap because they are an unwanted part of the animal. This is because they have a lot of skin and other connective tissue and very little meat. However, when cooked for several hours, the collagen turns into gelatin and becomes delicious.

The cooking time for a ham hock terrine varies depending on the recipe. Some recipes call forsection: a cooking time of 2 and a half to 3 hours, while others suggest 3 to 3 and a half hours, and another recipe states 4 to 5 hours. The variation in cooking time may be due to the different ingredients and methods used in each recipe.

Preparation:

Firstly, place the ham hocks in a large pan with the stock ingredients. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Some recipes suggest adding ingredients such as bay leaves, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, onion, vinegar, and vegetables at this stage.

Cooking:

Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and flakes easily. The ham hocks should be cooked until the meat falls off the bone. This can take up to 5 hours, depending on the size and number of hocks used.

Cooling and Assembly:

After cooking, allow the hocks to cool in the liquid for about 1 hour. Then, remove them from the liquid and set them aside. Strain the liquid and boil it to reduce its volume. Line a loaf tin or terrine mould with cling film. Remove the skin from the hocks and shred the meat. Place the meat in a bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients, such as herbs, spices, and gherkins or apricots. Pack the mixture into the prepared tin or mould and press down firmly.

Chilling:

Slowly pour the reduced liquid into the mould and allow it to settle. Cover with cling film and chill overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.

Serving:

To serve, remove the ham hock terrine from the mould and cut into slices. It can be served with crusty bread, piccalilli, caper berries, or toast.

Ham hock terrine ingredients

Ham hock is the shin area of a pig's hind leg. It is a cheap cut of meat because it is unwanted, despite the rest of the animal being delicious. Ham hocks have a lot of skin and connective tissue, and very little meat. However, when cooked slowly for several hours, the collagen turns into gelatin, which gives the meat a delicious, unctuous texture.

Ham hock terrine is a rustic starter or buffet item for a large gathering, as it can be made in advance. The ingredients for a ham hock terrine are:

• Ham hocks
• Stock ingredients (which may include bay leaves, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, onion, vinegar, celery, and carrots)
• Gelatin (or gelatine from the ham hocks)
• Parsley
• Mustard
• Caper berries
• Bread (to serve)

Some recipes also include:

• Tarragon
• Gherkins
• Butter
• Prosciutto
• Piccalilli
• Horseradish
• Shallots
• Caster sugar
• White wine
• Capers

Ham hock terrine serving suggestions

Ham hock terrine is a great starter for a dinner party, a buffet, or a large gathering, as it can be made in advance. It is also inexpensive to make and impressive.

Ham hock is a mosaic of home-cooked ham and fresh parsley, held together with a savoury jelly. The secret is to have just enough jelly to hold the meat and herbs together. The savoury jelly was originally made by cooking veal bones and trotters with the ham, which produced a good gelatinous stock that set when chilled. Nowadays, you can use shop-bought gelatine to set the stock in which the ham is cooked.

To serve, carefully run a knife around the edges of the terrine to loosen and turn it upside down on a chopping board. Cut into chunky or finger-thick slices and serve with crusty bread, salad leaves, and a good chilled white wine, such as an appley white like chenin blanc or Alsace pinot blanc. You could also serve it with seeded crackers, Mel Bagel Toasts, or piccalilli.

Ham hock terrine is best served chilled, and it will keep for up to 6 days in the fridge.

How to store ham hock terrine

Ham hock terrine is a French dish made from slow-cooked pork that can be prepared in advance and served as a starter or a buffet item for a large gathering. The dish is made by cooking ham hocks in a flavoursome stock, shredding the meat, and pressing it into a terrine mould with mustard, butter, and parsley. The gelatinous stock is then poured over the meat and the mould is chilled overnight.

To store ham hock terrine, follow these steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Terrine Mould

Line a loaf tin or terrine mould with cling film. You can use a standard loaf tin or a 1-litre or 1.5-litre mould, depending on the size of your ham hocks. Make sure the mould is clean and dry before lining it with cling film.

Step 2: Prepare the Ham Hock Mixture

After cooking the ham hocks and shredding the meat, mix it with the desired herbs, spices, and other ingredients, such as mustard, butter, parsley, or gherkins. Remove as much fat and sinew as possible from the meat before mixing.

Step 3: Assemble the Terrine

Press the ham hock mixture firmly into the prepared terrine mould. Make sure the mixture is tightly packed and levelled.

Step 4: Add the Stock and Chill

Slowly pour the reduced and cooled stock over the ham hock mixture in the mould. Allow the stock to settle and carefully wrap the terrine with the overhanging cling film to seal it. You can also add a layer of foil or another layer of cling film for extra protection.

Chill the terrine overnight or for at least 3-4 hours to allow the gelatine in the stock to set and hold the terrine together.

Step 5: Storage and Serving

Ham hock terrine can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Keep it covered and in the terrine mould itself. To serve, remove the terrine from the mould, cut it into slices and serve with crusty bread, piccalilli, caper berries, or other desired sides.

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