BOXING DAY GAMMON BRAAIBROODJIES

This recipe is an extract from THE GOOD STYFF by Karl Tessendorf and published by Penguin Random House SA.

Serves: 6

When it comes to Christmas, I am the gammon guy. I usually make four over the festive season, and for good reason. I want leftovers because Boxing Day just isn’t Boxing Day without gammon braaibroodjies.

INGREDIENTS

For the gammon:

• 1 medium-sized (2 kg) gammon (I like Woolies boneless gammon)
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
• 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1 peel of lemon rind

For the glaze:

• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• a splash of water

For the sarmies:

• white farm loaf or sourdough, sliced
• mayonnaise
• chutney
• wholegrain mustard
• 500g mozzarella, grated
• 500g mature cheddar, grated
• tomatoes, sliced
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• a small jar of pickled onions

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients for the gammon in a large pot and fill it with water until the gammon (in its netting) is submerged. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and gently simmer for 2 hours or until the gammon hits 60 ºC. Top up with hot water as needed during the cooking process.
2. For the glaze, add the honey and mustard to a small pot. Loosen with a splash of water, then set it over medium-low heat. Warm through and mix to combine.
3. After 2 hours, remove the gammon from the pot and place it on a rack to cool slightly.
4. Preheat the oven to 220 ºC. Remove the netting from the gammon, peel off the skin and discard. Use a knife if it needs convincing. Try to keep as much of the fat on the gammon as possible.
5. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the fat diagonally in lines about ½ cm apart. Place the gammon on a roasting rack and use a pastry brush to paint it with a generous amount of glaze.
6. Grill the gammon for 10 minutes, then give it another layer of glaze and grill for a further 10 minutes until it has caramelised and is bubbling.
7. Remove from the oven and let the gammon cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
8. Start a fire.
9.  To make the broodjies, lay the bread slices out and give the tops and bottoms a healthy spread of mayo.
10. Add chutney to the base and mustard to the top.
11. Mix the cheeses together, then give the base a layer. Top with tomato and season it.
12. Add gammon, pickled onions, and top with more cheese. Close the sarmies.
13. Pop the broodjies in a flip grid and braai them over medium coals until golden, toasty and melty.
14. Garnish to your liking. Slice and smash!