East Anglian Pork Cheese
A traditional East Anglian potted cold meat, combining tender, spiced pork set in its own rich natural jelly and pressed into sliceable terrines.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 160 min
- Total
- 185 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 280 kcal
Equipment
- •large stockpot
- •fine mesh sieve
- •chopping board
- •900g loaf tin
- •greaseproof paper
- •heavy food tins for pressing
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 1 g
- fibre
- 0 g
- protein
- 32 g
- calories
- 280 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the pork hock, shoulder chunks, onion, carrots, and bay leaves into a large stockpot.
- 2
Cover with cold water until submerged by two centimetres and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 3
Skim off any foam from the surface using a wide spoon.
- 4
Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for two and a half hours until the meat falls from the bone.
- 5
Lift the pork onto a board and strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl.
- 6
Return the strained stock to the pot and boil over high heat for ten minutes until reduced to 300ml.
- 7
Discard bones and tough gristle, then coarsely chop the warm pork meat and soft fat into bite-sized pieces.
- 8
Toss the warm meat in a bowl with sage, thyme, mace, vinegar, salt, and black pepper.
- 9
Pack the seasoned pork tightly into a 900g loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper.
- 10
Pour the reduced warm stock over the pork to fill all the gaps evenly.
- 11
Cover with paper, place weighted food tins on top, and chill in the fridge overnight until set firm.
- 12
Turn out onto a board, remove paper, and slice thickly with a sharp knife.
Chef's tips
Always chop the meat while still warm so the herbs and spices penetrate deeply. Do not discard all the fat from the hock, as it provides essential succulence and mouthfeel. Ensure the stock is reduced sufficiently so the natural gelatin forms a firm jelly when chilled.
Ingredient substitutions
- pork hock → 2 pig trotters plus an extra 300g pork belly
- ground mace → freshly grated nutmeg
- cider vinegar → white wine vinegar
Storage
Store wrapped tightly in greaseproof paper inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Reheating
Serve cold directly from the fridge; do not reheat as the natural jelly will melt.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Discarding the gelatinous cooking liquid, which prevents the meat from setting
- •Under-seasoning the meat, as cold dishes require stronger seasoning than hot dishes
- •Skipping the overnight pressing step, resulting in a loose and crumbly loaf
Serving suggestions
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