Gammon with sherry mustard sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lb gammon joint (soaked overnight (see note))
- 1.7 L pork stock
- 300 mL amontillado sherry (plus extra if necessary)
- 1 T light soy sauce (not to be confused with reduced-sodium soy sauce)
- 27 g Sugar (Dark Brown) (2 T)
- freshly ground allspice (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 T Dijon mustard
- 1 T Flour (Plain)
- 1 T butter (unsalted)
Method
Soak the gammon joint overnight. You can do this at room temperature, as it should have been cured.
Bring the ham to the boil in a large pan of cold water, simmer for 10 minutes then discard the water. Cover with the bouillon and bring to a good but gentle simmer. Cook for 1 hour 40 minutes – allowing 20 minutes per pound plus an extra 20.
Remove the joint from the pan and skin, then place in an ovenproof dish into which it fits snugly. Cover with the sherry and 150 mL of the cooking liquor. Cook in the oven at 180C/350F for 50-60 minutes, until the meat is quite tender when pierced with a fork.
Transfer the meat to a roasting tin, mix the soy sauce, sugar, allspice, pepper and mustard with 2-3 tablespoons of the sherry liquor, and smear over the ham. Raise the oven to 220C/425F and return the meat for 10-15 minutes until the glaze is melted and golden. Be careful that it doesn't burn.
Meanwhile, mix the flour and butter to a smooth paste; set aside. Taste the braising liquid, adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding a little more sherry, soy, or some of the initial cooking juices if it seems too strong. (Keep the remaining stock for soup.) Stir in a touch of Dijon mustard if wished – but this sauce should be subtle – then bring to the boil, lower the heat and whisk in the flour-butter mixture. Beat until lightly thickened, then pour into a hot sauceboat.
Serve with the ham cut into thick or thin slices as you prefer.
Notes
From source: Even unsmoked joints benefit from a soaking; the salting process inevitably hardens the meat a little and soaking restores the succulence.
SJ note: With regard to the soy sauce, see here: light soy sauce throughout my recipe book means the Chinese version, which is actually saltier than Chinese dark soy sauce, and has nothing to do with reduced sodium soy sauce, which we do not use.