CHAPTER TWELVE Bacon
BAKED
1. Ham with various garnishes
BOILED
2. Gammon
3. Ham with pease pudding
BRAISED
4. Ham
FARCE/MOUSSE
5. Ham cornets
6. Ham mousse
FRIED
7. Ham croquettes
GRILLED
8. Gammon
PASTRY COVERED
9. Steamed bacon roll
The Art of Bacon
INTRODUCTION
1. Bacon is made by curing a "baconer" pig which is a pig bred specifically for bacon.
2. The sides of pork are salted in brine containing permitted additives, which preserve the colour and impart flavour to the meat.
3. Bacon may be smoked after curing: ie hung over smouldering sawdust. It has a brown rind.
4. Unsmoked bacon is known as
"green" bacon; the rind is white and the flavour is milder.
The Art of Bacon
BAKED
1. BAKED HAM
Ingredients
Gammon (cooked) 1 whole
Demi glace 1 ltr
Demerara sugar 150 g
Madeira wine 250 ml
Cloves
Method
1. Remove the rind, score the fat evenly in a trellis pattern, stud with a few cloves, sprinkle with sugar and half the Madeira wine.
2. Place in an oven at 180°C until the sugar has caramel-ised, basting occasionally.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.
4. Pour off the surplus fat from the cooking utensil, add the remainder of the Madeira wine together with the demi glace, bring to the boil and strain.
5. Slice the ham, coat with the sauce and serve with appropriate garnish.
Notes:
1. A whole gammon weighs between 6-8 kg.
2. It will produce about 40 or more slices.
3. Appropriate garnishes are: pineapple rings, peach halves and spinach.
4. Ham, is the hind leg of a pig cut from the whole carcass then cured and separately matured. Some of the best known are York, Parma, Virginia and Westphalian.
BOILED
2. BOILED GAMMON
Ingredients
Gammon 1 whole
Method
1. Soak in cold water overnight.
2. Weigh the gammon and place it in a large saucepan. Cover it with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 50 minutes per kilogram of weight.
3. If the gammon is to be served cold it should be left in the cooking liquid to cool.
4. The skin and surplus fat is removed before serving.
Notes:
1. Gammon is the name given to a whole hind leg cut from a side of bacon after curing.
2. A whole gammon weighs between 6-8 kg.
3. Served hot it will produce about 40 or more slices, if cold about 70 slices.
4. If served hot it may be accompanied by parsley sauce.
5. To test if the gammon is cooked, twist and pull the small bone found alongside the shank. If it comes away clean the gammon is cooked.
3. BOILED HAM WITH PEASE PUDDING
Ingredients
Gammon 1 whole
Pease pudding 30 portions
Method
1. Soak the gammon in cold water overnight.
2. Weigh the gammon and place it in a large saucepan. Cover it with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 50 minutes per kilogram of weight. Remove from the liquid and cut off the skin and surplus fat.
3. Carve into slices for service and garnish with pease pudding. This dish can also be garnished with parsley sauce.
Note: A whole gammon weighs between 6-8 kgs. Ham is the hind leg of a pig cut from the whole carcass then cured and separately matured. The best known are York, Parma, Virginia and Westphalian.
BRAISED
4. BRAISED HAM
Ingredients
Gammon 1 whole
Madeira, Port or other suitable wine 625 ml
Method
1. Remove the pelvic bone from the ham and soak the ham overnight in cold water. Place the ham in a large saucepan, cover it with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 50 minutes per kilogram of weight.
2. About half an hour before cooking is complete, remove the ham from the cooking liquor and allow it to cool slightly. Remove the skin and trim off any surplus fat.
3. Place the ham in a braising pot just large enough to hold it and add the wine. Seal the lid tightly and place in an oven at 180°C and continue the cooking process turning the ham occasionally.
4. If the ham is to be presented whole remove the lid 15 minutes before taking the ham out of the oven, increase the temperature to 220°C and allow it to glaze basting occasionally with the wine.
Notes:
1. A whole gammon weighs between 6-8 kgs.
2. It will produce about 40 or more slices.
3. The ham may be served with a well seasoned demi-glace to which some of the braising liquor has been added. Also Madeira sauce which is most usual accompaniment. It can also be served with a variety of garnishes, eg spinach, braised lettuce, endives, vegetable purees, noodles, spaghetti or gnocchi.
4. Ham, is the hind leg of a pig cut from the whole carcass then cured and separately matured. Some of the best known are York, Parma, Virginia and Westphalian.
FARCE/MOUSSE
5. HAM CORNETS
8 PORTIONS
Ingredients
Gammon cooked 600 g
Ham mousse or liver pate 600 g
Aspic jelly 125 ml
Method
1. Cut the ham into 8 thin slices.
2. Roll each slice round a cornet mould to form a cone.
3. Remove the cones from the moulds and fill each one with ham mousse or liver pate using a piping bag and star tube.
4. Place the cornets onto a wire grill and mask with aspic jelly on the point of setting.
5. Arrange the cornets on a jellied oval dish with all the points inwards and decorate for service.
6. HAM MOUSSE
8 PORTIONS
Ingredients
Lean ham (cooked) 200 g
Chicken veloute 250 ml
Double cream
Chicken aspic 250 ml
Butter 5 g
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Method
1. Mince the ham through a fine plate several times. Melt the butter and mix in the paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Gradually add the veloute and the melted butter to the ham then pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a basin on a bed of ice.
3. Add half the aspic jelly and mix thoroughly.
4. Half whip the cream and fold it into the mixture. When on the point of setting, fill into jellied decorated charlotte, dariole or bombe moulds.
5. Allow to set, turn out onto a jellied dish and garnish for service.
To prepare the moulds:
1. Place the moulds into crushed ice.
2. Pour sufficient jelly into each mould to completely fill it.
3. Allow the jelly to set approximately 3 mm thick then pour out the remainder and decorate the moulds.
Note: To turn out the mousse, dip the moulds into very hot water for 2 seconds to release the jelly from the sides of the moulds.
FRIED
7. HAM CROQUETTES
10 PORTIONS
Ingredients
Ham (cooked trimmings) 500 g
White sauce 250 ml
Eggs 4
Flour 50 g
White breadcrumbs 150 g
Salt
Pepper
Method
1. Mince the ham through a coarse plate. Separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites.
2. Boil the white sauce, add the chopped ham and reboil.
3. Remove from the heat, stir in the yolks from 2 of the eggs and adjust the seasoning.
4. Pour onto a flat tray and put in a cool place.
5. Cover with greaseproof paper and allow to go cold.
6. Divide the mixture into 20 pieces allowing 2 per portion and place in a refrigerator to become firm.
7. Mould into balls with the aid of a little flour, pass through egg wash and breadcrumbs and roll into croquette shape.
8. Using a frying basket deep fry in hot oil until crisp and golden brown.
GRILLED
8. GRILLED GAMMON STEAKS
Ingredients
Gammon 1 whole
Method
1. Cut the gammon into steaks.
2. Remove the rind and brush the steaks with oil.
3. Place under a grill and cook for about 8 minutes turning once.
4. Cut into portions and serve with an appropriate garnish.
Notes:
1. Gammon steaks should be cut approximately 10 mm thick.
2. The steaks may be served with any of the following: grilled pineapple rings, peach halves, grilled tomatoes, peas, pease pudding or spinach.
PASTRY COVERED
9. STEAMED BACON ROLL
10 PORTIONS
Ingredients
Suet paste 800 g
Bacon rashers 500 g
Onions 150 g
Parsley (chopped)
Sage
Salt
Method
1. Peel the onions and cut the flesh into dice.
2. Roll out the paste into 300 mm squares 5 mm thick. Place the bacon on squares and sprinkle with the onions, parsley, sage and seasoning.
3. Damp the edges of the paste with water, roll up and place into greased pudding sleeves.
4. Cook in a steam oven for
about 2 hours then cut into portions and serve with piquant sauce separately.