Pork hocks are a flavourful and less expensive alternative to an on-the-bone ham and can be easily found at most markets or butcher shops. This recipe is a rustic, yet elegant way to serve an often little-used cut of pork.
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4 1/2 pounds) fresh pork hocks
- 1 large carrot
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1/3 cup shallots, finely diced
- 1/4 cup scallions, finely cut
- 1/4 cup celery hearts with leaves, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon parsley, rinsed and shopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
Rinse the pork hocks in cold water then place into a large stock pot. Cut the onion, carrot and celery into large pieces and add them to the pot along with the bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover the hocks with cold water (1 to 2 inches over the hocks) and place over medium heat. Once the liquid reaches a full simmer, turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer slowly for about 3 hours or until the the hocks start to fall apart. Skim any impurities that float to the top of the water.
In a small pan over medium-low heat, warm a splash of canola or olive oil and cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reserve.
Once the hocks are cooked, remove them gently from the liquid and onto a plate. Allow them to cool slightly before handling, but while still warm, separate the meat and place into a mixing bowl. Using a large measuring cup, measure the volume of meat then return the meat to the mixing bowl (you should get about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of meat). Place some of the skin on a cutting board so the fat side is facing upwards. Scrape the fat off the skin. Mince the skin into small pieces. You’ll want almost half the volume of skin as you have meat (approximately a cup of chopped skin).
Add the skin, mustard, shallots, scallions, celery, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the meat. Break up any large chunks of meat. Add three tablespoons of cooking liquid to the mixture and mix well. Check the seasoning and adjust as you prefer.
Pack the mixture in a terrine or loaf pan (pushing down on the mixture to remove any air pockets) and cook in a preheated 350F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool to room temperature. Cover the top of terrine with a piece of parchment paper or waxed cloth. Place another pan on top of the terrine to keep it pressed. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or until chilled) before trying to remove the terrine.
Once the terrine is chilled, uncover it and run a knife around the outside of it to loosen it from the pan. Place a plate on top of the loaf pan and turn it over to remove the terrine from the pan.
Serve the chilled terrine, topped with microgreens or cut into slices, seared and served as a first course with chutney or pickles.
