GAMMON WITH A HONEY-TRUFFLE GLAZE

By chef David Schneider of Chefs Warehouse at Maison

INGREDIENTS

1 x pork leg (bone in, skin on), to be tunnel-boned

Brine

1 L water

110 g coarse salt

25 g brown sugar

12.5 g pink salt cure (optional, but recommended) – available by special order from most reliable butchers

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2 cloves

3 juniper berries, lightly crushed

2 whole star anise

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced

5 g thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

5 coriander seeds

Glaze

2 L pork or beef bone broth

2 C wild honey

100 ml wholegrain Dijon mustard

50 ml white truffle oil

salt to taste

METHOD

Brining the leg

1. Place all the ingredients into a large pot, stir to mix, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the fridge.
2. Place the leg in a pot or suitable container large enough to fit easily. Pour the cold brine over the top until completely submerged. Cover and place in a cool area for 6 hours.
3. Remove the leg from the brine and place on a drying rack in the fridge overnight. This will allow the leg to air-dry and form a sticky surface known as a Pellicle. This sticky or tacky surface is important for the smoking process as it will allow the smoke to adhere to it.

Smoking the leg

1. Place the air-dried leg, skin side up, on the grill of a Webber braai. In a separate metal container, light a small number of coals.
2. Once the coals are completely lit, add 4 medium sized logs of wood. I like to use blue gum, black wattle, or apple wood.
3. Once the wood has burned down to form coals, transfer a small amount of coals to the base of the Webber Braai. Pour a handful of smoking chips over the coals and place the pork leg over the top.
4. Cover with the lid of the braai and allow to smoke, topping up the coals and smoking chips every half an hour. Ensure that the temperature of the braai does not exceed 50°C.
5. After 2 hours, or once the leg is golden in colour, remove the pork leg. Allow to rest and cool.

Cooking the leg

1. Place the leg skin-side up on a cutting board. Score the skin of the leg using a sharp knife or box-cutter diagonally across in 2 directions to form a diamond shape.
2. Pre-heat an oven to 220°C. Place the leg skin-side up on an oven rack, sprinkle with a good quality flaked salt and place in the pre-heated oven. Ensure to place a tray under the leg to catch any drippings.
3. Take your gammon glaze out of the fridge to reach room temperature. After 20 minutes, remove the leg from the oven and set over a basting tray.
4. Lower the heat of the oven to 160°C. Cover the skin of the gammon with the glaze using a basting brush and set back in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Repeat this process at least 3 times or until the gammon has reached an internal temperature of 70°C.
6. Once cooked, set the gammon on a rack to rest for 20 minutes. Baste one last time before serving. Reserve the remainder of the Glaze to serve alongside the gammon.

Glaze

1. Place the bone broth in a large pot set over a medium heat and reduce by 3 quarters.
2. Add the wild honey and continue to cook until the mixture has thickened so it coats the back of a spoon.
3. Add the mustard and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring continuously to avoid catching on the base of the pot.
4. Remove from the heat and season with truffle oil and salt to taste.

DAVID’S SUGGESTED ACCOMPANIMENTS

Vegetables and stone fruit with olive oil and salt – parsnips, baby rainbow carrots, fennel bulbs, beetroot, plums and peaches are abundant over our festive season. They all like the fire; simply roast them either in trays, a pizza oven or directly over the coals.

DAVID’S SUGGESTED WINE PAIRING

Because of the rich and smokey notes, serve with a crisp, slightly acidic, and wooded wine. Our lightly wooded 2020 Maison Viognier for white wine drinkers and our 2019 Maison Malbec for the red wine drinkers.