Ham Hock Terrine Recipe

Name: Ham Hock Terrine
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h 20 min
Total time: 11 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 smoked ham hock, about 1 kg; 1 onion, halved; 1 carrot, halved; 1 celery stick; 2 bay leaves; 6 black peppercorns; 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 3 tbsp finely chopped gherkins; 1 tbsp capers, chopped; 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 2 leaves of gelatine; Piccalilli and toast, to serve

Why This Ham Hock Terrine Recipe Works

Ham hock terrine is a modern British classic, one of the dishes that helped to define the gastropub menu, and it is a good example of how to turn a cheap, ordinary cut into a starter that looks elegant. The ham hock is the lower part of the pig's leg, a bony, gristly, smoked and salted joint that costs very little and has huge flavour, and cooked slowly in water with an onion, a carrot and a bay leaf it turns tender enough to fall from the bone, and produces a rich stock at the same time. That stock is the secret. It is boiled down until it is concentrated and full of natural gelatine from the skin and the bones, with a little extra gelatine added for insurance, and it becomes the jelly that holds the flaked ham together. The meat is pulled into large strands, and mixed with parsley, chopped gherkins, capers and a spoonful of grain mustard for sharpness, packed into a loaf tin lined with cling film, pressed down and left in the fridge overnight to set. It is then turned out and cut in slices, and the classic accompaniment is piccalilli, with toast or crusty bread, and perhaps a few pickled vegetables. It needs time rather than skill, and it keeps well in the fridge, so it is a good dish to make ahead for a dinner party.

How to Make Ham Hock Terrine

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Rinse the ham hock and put it in a large pan with the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil.
Skim off any scum that rises, then reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer very gently for 3 hours, until the meat is falling from the bone.
Lift the hock onto a board and strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan. Boil the liquid for about 20 minutes until reduced to about 250 ml.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until soft, then squeeze them out and stir them into the hot stock until dissolved.
When the hock is cool enough to handle, pull the meat into strands, discarding the skin, fat and bones.
Mix the meat with the parsley, gherkins, capers, mustard and pepper.
Line a 900 g loaf tin with 2 layers of cling film, leaving plenty overhanging the sides. Pack the meat mixture into the tin, pour over the stock and press down.
Fold the cling film over the top, put a weight on it and chill overnight until set.
Turn out, remove the cling film and slice with a sharp knife. Serve with piccalilli and toast.

Tips for Making Ham Hock Terrine

Simmer the hock very gently. A hard boil makes the meat stringy and dry, and it clouds the stock.
Reduce the stock until it is syrupy. Only concentrated stock will set into a firm jelly, and it also gives the terrine its flavour.
Weight the terrine as it chills. Pressing packs the ham tightly and gives neat slices that stay together.

What to Serve with Ham Hock Terrine

Piccalilli
Toasted sourdough
Pickled onions

Storing & Reheating Ham Hock Terrine

Keeps wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days. Slice as needed with a hot knife, and let it stand for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving. Not suitable for freezing.

Ham Hock Terrine FAQ: Common Questions

How long does Ham Hock Terrine take to make?

About 3 hours 50 minutes of hands-on work — 30 minutes of preparation and 3 hours 20 minutes of cooking — plus 8 hours of Chilling overnight, so allow 11 hours 50 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.

What are the key tips for making Ham Hock Terrine?

Simmer the hock very gently. A hard boil makes the meat stringy and dry, and it clouds the stock. Reduce the stock until it is syrupy. Only concentrated stock will set into a firm jelly, and it also gives the terrine its flavour. Weight the terrine as it chills. Pressing packs the ham tightly and gives neat slices that stay together.

What should I serve with Ham Hock Terrine?

Piccalilli; Toasted sourdough; Pickled onions.

Can Ham Hock Terrine be made ahead or frozen?

Keeps wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days. Slice as needed with a hot knife, and let it stand for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving. Not suitable for freezing.

Is Ham Hock Terrine suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Ham Hock Terrine?

About 72 kcal per serving, with 9 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate and 4 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Ham Hock Terrine Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

72Calories

9gProtein

0gCarbs

4gFat

0gFibre

0gSugar

520mgSodium

Low-Carb Keto No Added Sugar

Ham Hock Terrine

How to Make Ham Hock Terrine

Tips for Making Ham Hock Terrine

What to Serve with Ham Hock Terrine

Storing & Reheating Ham Hock Terrine

Ham Hock Terrine FAQ: Common Questions

Ham Hock Terrine Nutrition

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

How to Make Ham Hock Terrine

Tips for Making Ham Hock Terrine

What to Serve with Ham Hock Terrine

Storing & Reheating Ham Hock Terrine

Ham Hock Terrine FAQ: Common Questions

Ham Hock Terrine Nutrition

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

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