Recipe, Cider-Gammon.

[Cal Price]

This is one I "invented" last weekend because I am knee-deep in my own apples and pears and my local butcher was selling those vac-packed bacon/gammon.ham joints cheaply.

I bought a 750g (about one and a half pounds) small joint. this size requires about one hour slow simmering, easy enough to adjust for size but if going smaller don't simmer less than 45mins. This probably won't require salt or seasoning.

Because any meat from the pig can extrude a brownish scum when boiled i washed the joint off with boiling water in a cullander and then placed it in a pan with about an inch to inch-and-half all round clearance then packed this space with peeled and sliced apples and a couple of small pears. I used two Bramley apples which are tart and great "cookers" a couple of small sweet desert apples and a couple of small conference pears. I used this combination because it is what a had, use whatever you can lay your hands on but things with apple always seem to work best if more than one variety is used. (Honest). Chuck in a bay leaf or two if you have them, or cloves, best of all a cinnamon stick.

Get as good a cider as you can, preferably a dry one, and fill to the level of the meat and bring to the boil, turn down to simmer and add a couple of big dollops of honey.

The "dollop" is a very precise scientific measure used by cooks all over the world.

After it has simmered for 10-15 mins taste the mixture and adjust the sweet-tart balance using more honey, tart apple or lemon juice.

Note about Cider, get a big bottle, it's a great drink or you can use it in cooking in most applications calling for white wine.

At the end of the simmering period, remove the meat and discard the bay leaf or cloves/cinnamon. Put the meat aside where it will stay warm, a very low oven whilst you warm your plates is good but dont let it dry out, cover with foil if you are not sure.

Now bring the mix to a brisk boil whilst mashing the fruit chunks/slices, taste and adjust for honey etc. You could blend this but a few lumps won't hurt.

This should take a max of about 20 mins which is fortunate as it gives you time to boil baby potatoes and perhaps a green veg, you may prefer a salad.

Slice the meat fairly thickly, and serve with the reduced sauce mixture spooned over it along with chosen veg. Don't slice more than you need as the meat will make great cold cuts later but is better for being left in as big a piece as possible, slice it as required for and sandwich and perhaps a glass of cider tommorow.

[Old Mr. Wilson]

Interesting.......so you boil this hog (is this the upper leg and part of the belly?) in a dry cider.
I have never cooked with cider. Sounds interesting. Maybe I could do a small loin (backstrap)
like this. I have heard of New Englanders "boiling meat" (in water) but have never done that.
Got a buddy in Connecticut and their idea of seasoning is a smidgeon of salt per gallon of water!!
This "fuity concoction" sounds nice. I like pears and I like apples! So why not!

p.s. and I know precisely what a dollop of honey is! Sometimes I even use a dollop of orange marmalade on a smoked loin as it's comming off the pit! Did I ever give you my recipe for Pepper Loin? Do you do much grill/smoker cookin'?

[Cal Price]

Hi Wilson, Cider and/or fruit works well with pretty much any pig product, chops in a casserole or whatever. Any smoked joint works well like the cheap joint we call "Hand of Pork" which is the foreleg "shoulder"

There is a beef joint called "Brisket" here that is normally boiled, it is a toughish cut from the forequarter, (Tougher end ribs I think, boned and rolled) I usually do it with marinated in red wine, oil and sliced oranges.
Marinate overnight and simmer gently for a couple of hours with some water added to the marinade just to take the acid edge off.

If you have never cooked with Cider, try poaching large fillets of white fish, or flatfish in it. We get a couple of good local Ciders as well as the "national" names but if sourcing cider is a problem a combination of apple juice and white wine works.

I am sure somewhere as big and varied as the U.S. must produce some great ciders, I hate to admit it but there are some excellent French ones, almost as good as ours!

Hey does anyone else cook??? keep the recipes coming folks!! To answer your last point, not as much as I would like but I'll work on it.