APRICOT & WATTLESEED GLAZED PORK NECK ‘HAM’

SERVES 8

Begin this recipe 1 day ahead. You will need a meat thermometer and kitchen string.

140g table salt 1.5kg trimmed piece skinless pork neck

APRICOT & WATTLESEED GLAZE

500g apricots, stones removed,

chopped 250g caster sugar 1 tbs ground wattleseed (from good grocers or online Australian food shops) 2 star anise

To prepare the pork, place salt and 8 cups (2L) cold water in a large glass or plastic bowl, stirring to dissolve salt. Add pork, cover and chill overnight.

For the glaze, place all ingredients and 2 cups (500ml) water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until apricots begin to break down and liquid is reduced slightly. Remove from heat and stand for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Transfer to a small food processor and whiz until smooth (store, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days).

The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper.

Remove pork neck from brine. Pat dry with paper towel and place on prepared tray. Using kitchen string, tie pork at 2cm intervals. Brush pork with glaze and roast, brushing with glaze every 10 minutes, for 1 hour. Increase oven to 180°C and continue roasting, brushing with glaze every 10 minutes, for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reaches 65°C. Rest for 20 minutes, then cut away kitchen string and slice thickly to serve.