🍖 Recipe: Roast Ham Hock with Honey and Mustard

Here is a classic slow-roasted ham hock recipe from that delivers tender, juicy meat and a wonderfully sticky glaze. The key is a long, slow cook followed by a final high-heat blast for color and crispiness.

Servings: 4 | Total Time: 24-28 hours (includes soaking) | Active Cook Time: 4 hours

Essential Info:

· Core Technique: Slow roast then glaze and crisp.
· Key Step: Soaking is required for cured ham hocks to remove excess salt.
· Important Ingredient Note: “Cider” refers to hard/alcoholic dry cider. In the US, use dry hard cider, not sweet apple cider.

Ingredients:

· 1 cured ham hock (1.2-1.5 kg / 2.5-3.3 lbs)
· 2 large onions, sliced into half-moons
· 1 bay leaf
· 500 ml dry cider
· 250 ml water
· 60 g honey
· 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions:

1. Soak: Place the ham hock in a large container, cover with cold water, and soak for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Change the water a few times.
2. Prep: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Drain and pat the hock dry. Create a bed of sliced onions in a roasting tray, place the bay leaf and hock on top.
3. Slow Roast: Pour the cider and water around the hock (not over the skin). Roast, uncovered, for 3.5 hours.
4. Crisp Skin: Increase oven temperature to 220°C (430°F) and roast for another 15-20 minutes until the skin starts to blister and crisp.
5. Make & Apply Glaze: Mix honey and mustard. Remove the tray, take the hock out, and set aside. Transfer the cooking liquid and onions to a blender (discard bay leaf), blend into a sauce. Return hock to the tray, brush all over with glaze.
6. Final Glaze: Return glazed hock to the hot oven for a final 10 minutes until sticky and caramelized.
7. Rest & Serve: Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving with the warm onion-cider sauce.

📝 Cooking Tips & Variations

Here are some practical tips and alternative methods to adapt the recipe.

Preparation & Cooking Tips:

· Don’t Skip the Soak: For cured/smoked hocks, soaking for 8-24 hours is essential to reduce saltiness. For fresh hocks, this step is optional.
· Ensure Crispy Skin: For the crispiest crackling, pat the skin very dry after soaking and ensure it is not covered in liquid during the first roast. Scoring the skin deeply before cooking also helps.
· Test for Doneness: The meat is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork. An internal temperature of 94-96°C (approx 200-205°F) is ideal for shredding.
· Glaze Variations: Swap honey for maple syrup or add soy sauce for depth. You can also braise the hock in ginger beer, ale, or apple juice instead of cider.

Alternative Cooking Methods:

· Braising First: For fall-apart tenderness, some recipes braise the hock in liquid (covered) for 2-3 hours at 160-180°C, then uncover and roast to crisp.
· Slow Cooker Start: Cook the hock in a slow cooker with cider or stock on low for 6-8 hours until tender, then finish under a hot broiler or in a 220°C oven for 15 minutes to crisp and glaze.
· Boil & Roast (Traditional): A common method is to simmer the hock in water for 60-90 minutes until tender, then roast at a high temperature (200°C) for 45-60 minutes to crisp the skin.

🥗 Serving & Storing Your Ham Hock

· What to Serve: Serve with potatoes (roasted, mashed, or wedges) to soak up the juices. For greens, classic pairings are peas, braised cabbage, or sautéed spinach. A sharp parsley sauce or a simple vinaigrette-based salad cuts through the richness.
· Using Leftovers: Leftover meat is fantastic in sandwiches, soups (like split pea), pasta bakes, salads, or omelets. Shredded ham hock adds deep flavor to dishes like baked beans or collard greens.

I hope this gives you everything you need to make a fantastic slow-roasted ham hock. If you’d like more detail on a specific variation or side dish, just let me know!