Guinness-baked ham hock

Serves 2-4

(Jason Lowe)

I've used Guinness and honey here to add a glaze to this ham hock. Serve it with an Irish potato dish such as champ or colcannon for a main-course dish.

Two unsmoked ham hocks weighing about a kilo each, soaked overnight in cold water
500ml Guinness
5-6tbsp clear honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, peeled and halved
12 peppercorns
2 large carrots, peeled and halved
A few sprigs of thyme

Wash off the ham hocks and place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the onion, peppercorns, carrots and thyme. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is starting to come off the bone. Leave to cool, then remove the large bone that runs through the ham hock, leaving the small bone in. You don't have to do this but it just makes it more presentable.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5. Line a large roasting tray with doubled-over foil then place the hocks on top. Pour over the honey and some of the Guinness and bake in the oven for about an hour, pouring over more Guinness every so often and basting it. The hocks should have a caramel colour on the outside, but be careful it doesn't burn. If it colours too much, then cover loosely in foil.