HOMEMADE SPAM

Fabulous fresh spam and not a processed tin in sight, this is a great fresh and healthier version of the processed tinned spam, a simple and easy recipe, more of a terrine really.  Spam!  The name spam is an acronym for spiced ham and my gorgeous guilty spam secret is as a child I loved my mums fried spam sandwiches and very very very occasionally still do, wedged between a couple of warm sour dough slices of bread terribly over loaded with butter and smothered with homemade salad cream. 

This recipe is so simple to make, I have stepped up a level by using my own cured preservative free jerk spiced ham from our own raised pigs, making this spam additive and preservative free.  But just by making any of your own food you are in charge of what ingredients go in.

Prep time 15 minutes / Cooking time 1 hour / Pressing chilling time 12hrs +

Ingredients

(Serves 4-6)

300g belly pork quite finely minced

700g pork shoulder quite finely minced

200g ham quite finely minced

2 cloves garlic grated

Small pinch of nutmeg

Small pinch of mace

1 tsp sugar

 1 pinch sea salt

 1/2  tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp white pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well together, push the meat mix into your loaf tin, cover with a square of parchment paper that fits inside the loaf tin and then cover with foil, place the loaf tin in a deep roasting pan and 3/4 fill with boiling water, I add the water once the roasting pan is in the oven for ease.

Cook for approx 1 hour, use a probe or tip of a knife on your nose to check that the centre of your terrine is piping hot / 75 degrees, if using the knife method place the knife into the centre of the terrine and then place the blade of the knife on the tip of your nose, you can gauge the temperature of the terrine from this, generally I know it's cooked when I jump 3ft in the air because I have burnt my nose!  When fully cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool for an hour or so before the next stage.

Next stage you need to press the terrine, keeping the terrine covered with the parchment paper and foil, place a heavy object on top of the loaf tin, I used a brick covered in foil that naturally fitted the inside space of my loaf tin, but a few tomato cans will do the same job.  This is to gently compress the meat into a terrine.  Pop in the fridge for at least six hours, overnight is better if you can as this allows the flavours to mature further.

To remove the terrine from the tin softly run a thin bladed knife around the edge, this should be enough, if the terrine is being stubborn then place the terrine in a shallow pan and pour in a couple of inches of boiling water wait one minute and then turn out and enjoy.