The Final Ham

Here is the final recipe that i promised to bring to you yesterday, but firstly, an apology.

My favourite crafty blogger EVER (honest to peanuts as she would say), LOLLYCHOPS stopped by earlier today and wanted to leave a comment but couldn't. I had to shamefully admit that i turned comments off because i was depressed about my lack of commenting. It's like having someone stop in for a cup of tea and having no milk in the fridge.

Lolly, i'm really sorry. Really and truly. I hope you'll forgive me.

Honey and Mustard Ham Shank

This recipe was done using a cut known as the ham shank which is a cheap cut of pork. This ham shank cost me £1.99 compared to £4 which the gammon in the last recipe cost me. I guess it's the last cut before the trotter of the pig. It's really tasty but can be a pain to carve. You tend to get chunks rather than slices of ham, but the water you boil this in will give you an amazing stock and if you boil the bone again with the bits of meat left on it, you can make ham shank soup, which is something my grandad always made when i was little. Super tasty, salty and delicious

Ingredients
1 Ham Shank
half an onion
bay leaf
celery stick
1 carrot
3 tablespoons of clear honey
2 tablespoons of grain mustard
brown sugar (optional for really sweet glaze)

method
1. place the ham shank skin side down in a large pot and cover with plain, unsalted water. Bring to the boil and then discard the water. This will remove any initial scum and remove some of the salt. Refill with boiling water from the kettle and place the onion, celery, carrot and bayleaf in the pot with the ham. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 and a half hours - 2 hours.

2. preheat the oven to gas 5. mix together the honey and mustard in a small bowl.

3. Strain off the water from the ham into a large bowl if you intend to use it for later. Discard the onion, celery, carrot and bayleaf. remove the ham from the pot and remove the skin leaving a 5mm layer of fat.

4. Score the fat in a crisscross fashion and place in the oven to remder and go crispy for 20 minutes.

5. remove the ham from the oven and brush the glaze all over the ham until the fat and exposed meat is covered. For a really sweet glaze, pack the ham with brown sugar (in my opinion it's just as tasty and healthier without but my brother swears by it) and replace in the oven for 25 minutes, remove, baste and return for another 25 minutes.

6. serve with warm crusty bread and caramelised onion chutney. Yum.