Soaking eg Ham Hocks.

[Gruney]

A subject that has bothered me for a while.I'm fond of ham hocks and have a couple of dishes that rank among my favourites. What worries me is the recipe instruction to soak in cold water for a minimum of 12 hours. I'm thinking of food hygiene. Does this have to take place in the fridge? -there is certainly no room at Christmas time, for a pan containing a couple of hocks in mine. I've previously ignored this step, and been a hostage to fortune regarding saltiness - I do not use the stronger smoked ones. Is it safe to leave them covered in water on a kitchen counter for 12 hours? I would be grateful for your advice, please - I've just come across a recipe that would suit me really well for Christmas.

[Suffs]

In a cool kitchen overnight in the winter is fine IMO.
However I’ve found that as modern brining and is less salty than it used to be, placing the gammon or bacon in a large pot of cold water and bringing it to the boil then tipping it all away and proceeding with the recipe works just as well as a 12 hour soak.

[Stokey Sue]

What Suffs said!

[Earthmaiden]

I agree with Suffs too. That said, if your kitchen or another room is cold at night as mine is, I wouldn't worry as the ham will be boiled during cooking.

[Gruney]

Thanks all - that's a big weight off my mind.

[miss mouse]

I agree with Suffs too. That said, if your kitchen or another room is cold at night as mine is, I wouldn't worry as the ham will be boiled.

In mine I'd it expect it to be frozen by morning.

[Lusciouslush]

In mine I'd it expect it to be frozen by morning.

Wot everyone's said
I can't remember the last time I soaked one - it used to be a must, but now a quick bring up to boil & water change is all that's needed & most of the time I don't even bother with that.
I absolutely love split pea soup - & i have a good recipe for a h/hock terrine somewhere - it's a very versatile meat.......what are you planning to make with it Gruney?

[aero280]

I haven't soaked anything for a while, but I did it the way my mother did!

She would put the ham in a big saucepan filled with water, and leave it overnight, in the kitchen sink, with the cold tap just dribbling/dripping into it.

[Gruney]

In mine I'd it expect it to be frozen by morning.

Wot everyone's said
I can't remember the last time I soaked one - it used to be a must, but now a quick bring up to boil & water change is all that's needed & most of the time I don't even bother with that.
I absolutely love split pea soup - & i have a good recipe for a h/hock terrine somewhere - it's a very versatile meat.......what are you planning to make with it Gruney?

I usually do it with apples and cider, wholegrain mustard etc, which is great,simply with boiled potatoes. The recipe I've got my eye on for Christmas, is one that Nigella Lawson has contributed to the latest "Delicious "magazine.Essentially,it involves roasting the hocks for a while , then studding with cloves, slathering it with a mixture of sharp marmalade and bits. I thought It would be quite festive without a huge load of leftovers.

[Lusciouslush]

Goforrit.....! sounds good

Gawd - I could really murder some pea soup now!

[miss mouse]

I can't remember the last time I soaked one - it used to be a must, but now a quick bring up to boil & water change is all that's needed

I like to live life on the edge and taste the boiling water before chucking or not. Or are our food standard so poor now?

[Stokey Sue]

I have been known to taste, not being a great fan of very salty food

The small smoked British bacon joint I had from Sainsbury's recently was excellent - an even the slice I cut off and cooked as a steak (so dry) wasn't too salty. Will definitely buy another.

[Lusciouslush]

I like to live life on the edge and taste the boiling water before chucking or not

Is that before or after skimming off the scum.....?

[miss mouse]

Is that before or after skimming off the scum.....?
:lol:

What does 'the scum' consist of though? That is my Q? What is in it? I don't bother although after eating a few bits of 'not for EU' Boursin which didn't taste very nice. Not dead so far but the dregs are heading our way. That Boursin is off tom the worm bin.

100 years of public health gone. What an achievement.

[Suffs]

What is the scum that forms when boiling gammon? …answer here …

“… The scum is denatured protein, mostly comprising the same proteins that make up egg whites. It is harmless and flavorless, but visually unappealing. Eventually, the foam will break up into microscopic particles and disperse into your stock, leaving it grayish and cloudy. The more vigorously your stock bubbles, the faster this process will occur.

If the grayness or cloudiness bothers you but skimming is not an option for some reason, you can always remove the micro-particulates later through the clarification process used to make consomme...”

https://cooking.stackexchange.com/quest ... d%20cloudy.

[miss mouse]

Brilliant, thanks Suffs, the way some people talk/write about it you'd think it was deadly poison.

Now to investigate why Boursin has 'not for EU' on it.

[Suffs]

Brilliant, thanks Suffs, the way some people talk/write about it you'd think it was deadly poison.

Now to investigate why Boursin has 'not for EU' on it.

I imagine that it’s because it would need to have different labelling on it … but you could email them and ask
https://www.boursin.co.uk/

[Seatallan]

I think Suffs is right. I've noticed the 'not for EU' on quite a lot of food packaging recently.

[miss mouse]

I'm afraid it might be judged unfit for the EU market and can be dumped on us with lower standards. There is a fear that our products could get in via Northern Ireland which is why some things are labelled not for EU. If it was up to EU standards why that labelling?

I've eaten the cheese now...

[Stokey Sue]

It's about Brexit customs regulations, I saw something about it somewhere else recently, prevents re-export is all

Some foods are labelled "Not for EU" in the UK to prevent them from being sent to the European Union. The labels are part of the UK's deal with the EU to reduce checks on British products entering Northern Ireland.
The labels were first introduced in Northern Ireland in August 2023 for meat and some dairy products. The government then proposed to extend the labels to the rest of the UK, including all milk and dairy products in England, Scotland, and Wales as of October 2024. However, the government later scrapped the plans for UK-wide labeling.

The labels do not mean that the food is not safe for Europeans or made to a lower standard. British food standards have remained largely unchanged since Brexit.

The UK and the EU may strike a Veterinary Agreement, which would make "Not for EU" labeling redundant in the UK. Under this agreement, both the UK and the EU would accept that each other follows the same standards for animal and plant health, food hygiene, and disease control.