Ginger Glazed Pork Hocks

Ginger glazed pork hocks slow cooked in fiery ginger beer

This recipe comes from the Waitrose magazine, a cutting I had stashed away for safe-keeping but unfortunately I did not make a note of the date or photo credit. These pork hocks are slow cooked in fiery ginger beer then glazed in the oven until sticky and golden. They can be cooked in a slow cooker or in a conventional oven as you prefer. Nice served with a buttery mash or colcannon, would also go well with rice and a green vegetable such as a soy braised pac choi or lightly steamed tenderstem broccoli.

Serves 4
Prep time: 30 mins approx.
Cook time: slow cooker 3.5hrs - 6.5hrs (depending on heat setting); conventional oven: approx. 3 hrs

2 x large pork hocks (about 1kg each) - not ham hocks
2 litre bottle of fiery ginger beer
4 x bay leaves
12 x whole cloves
5tbs ginger marmalade (or orange and ginger)
1.5tbs wholegrain mustard
50g dark brown soft sugar
1 tbs finely grated ginger, just the pulp not the fibres

1. Put the hocks in a slow cooker and cover with ginger beer.  There should be at least 4cm gap between the contents and the lid of the slow cooker.
2. Add the bay leaves and cloves, cover and cook on high for 3-4hrs (or on low for about 6hrs) until the meat is pulling away from the bone and is very tender.
3. To make the glaze mix together the remaining ingredients, cover and set aside till the pork is cooked.
4. Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas 7.
5. Put the hocks in alarge foil-lined roasting pan.
6. Remove the skin from the hocks leaving a thin layer of the fat on the hocks.
7. Smother the hocks with the glaze.
8. Pour 500ml of the cookign liquid around the hocks and bake in the oven for 20 mins, basting a couple of times, until golden.
9. Serve the hocks drizzled with some of the syrupy pan juices.

For the conventional oven:
Cook the hocks in a large, deep, covered pan, immersed in the ginger beer (add water if not enough beer to cover).  Add the bay leaves and cloves and bring to the boil.  Then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 2
hours until the meat is pulling away from the bones and is very tender.  Then continue as above.

Normandy Pork with Cider

The Dijon mustard and crème fraîche give this freeze-ahead French recipe a lovely creamy flavour and complement the pork perfectly.  Takes 1 and 3/4 hours to make, plus cooling. Freeze for up to 3 months, then defrost overnight and reheat.  Serves 8