Smoked bacon joint with black butter glaze and colcannon

Name: Smoked bacon joint with black butter glaze and colcannon
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1.8kg smoked gammon joint, soaked in cold water overnight; 6 cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 10 black peppercorns; 6 allspice berries; 1 stick of celery, roughly chopped; 2 bay leaves; 4 tbsp of Irish black butter; 1kg floury potatoes, peeled; 200g of curly kale, washed and finely sliced; 100ml of whole milk; 100g of butter; salt; pepper; English mustard

by Chloë King

Item 1 of 1

Main
easy
6
2 hours 30 minutes

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This delicious smoked bacon recipe is glazed with Irish black butter; a richly spiced and treacly apple sauce. Serve up with a traditional Irish colcannon for a hearty comforting dinner.

To discover more about Northern Irish cuisine and for more of Chloë's recipes from the country, take a look at her feature.

First published in 2020

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The combination of smoked bacon and creamy colcannon is comfort food at its best at any time. The addition of Irish Black Butter however, adds a festive tang that would be perfect on Boxing Day. Made with Armagh Bramley apples cooked down to a rich molasses with spices and brandy, Irish Black Butter is a zingy substitute for black treacle. Remember to reserve the boiling liquor as a base for a delicious soup.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Black butter glazed bacon

1.8kg smoked gammon joint, soaked in cold water overnight
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
10 black peppercorns
6 allspice berries
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp of Irish black butter

Colcannon

1kg floury potatoes, peeled
200g of curly kale, washed and finely sliced
100ml of whole milk
100g of butter
salt
pepper

To serve

English mustard

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Method

Ask your butcher whether it is necessary to soak your bacon joint. If you don’t have time to soak it overnight, a speedy alternative is to bring the joint to the boil in fresh water for 20-30 minutes then discard the liquid before starting again with fresh water and aromatics

Place your pre-soaked bacon joint in a large saucepan or casserole with enough water to nearly cover. Add the whole spices, bay and celery and bring to the boil

Cook the joint at a simmer for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or 20 minutes for every 450g. The internal temperature of the bacon should reach 68°C. Remember we will be finishing in a hot oven

Preheat your oven to about 220°C/gas mark 7. Take the bacon out of the boiling liquor and place on a roasting dish. Trim the skin and fat which can be used to make a lovely crackling. Score the top of the joint with a sharp knife in a diagonal grid, and liberally spread the black butter all over

Put the joint in the hot oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 200°C/gas mark 6. Cook for 20–25 minutes or until the joint is sticky and glistening. Check to see the black butter is not catching and baste if necessary. If you use a meat thermometer, the internal temperature when finished should be 71°C

Rest covered for 20–30 minutes while you make the colcannon. Boil the potatoes until soft, about 15–20 minutes, and sauté the shredded kale in batches, removing any chunks of stalk, until it is well wilted. Squeeze the water from the cooked kale and set aside

Mash the cooked potato well with butter then finish with milk when all the lumps have been taken out. Season well, then stir through the cooked kale and serve with the sweet, smoky bacon and a slick of hot mustard

First published in 2020

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Chloë King

Writer and illustrator Chloe King is founder of the food lovers’ book club Cook the Books.

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