The French invented charcuterie, so it’s hardly surprising that they have an entire shop dedicated to preserved pork meats. With such a choice, buying charcuterie in France can be overwhelming and quality varies from region to region.
Look for those products marked with PGI or Protected Geographical Indication, as this will ensure it is a genuine product from a particular region made using traditional methods.
France produces many types of air-dried ham similar to Italian prosciutto, and these are categorised by quality.
Jambon sec is produced from pigs reared using modern farming practices, and is considered an everyday ham, whereas jambon sec supérieur uses more traditional methods and is a finer product.
Jambon de Bayonne ranks as one of France’s reigning porcine delightsPack-Shot / Shutterstock
At the top of the tree is jambon de Bayonne, which is produced in the Pays Basque region of South West France.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the brandy. Let it boil and reduce for a minute, then add the shallots and garlic. Once those have softened, remove the frying pan from the heat and let cool.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg and then stir in the cream, mustard and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the diced pork, then stir in the cooled shallot mixture and any juices from the pan.
4. Lay the slices of prosciutto across the bottom and up the sides of the prepared loaf pan so that they line the pan. I recommend leaving just a small gap between the slices so that the loaf is easier to slice once it’s cooked and then chilled. Spoon half of the pork mixture into the pan and then sprinkle the ham hock pieces across the middle, if using. You can have a bit of fun here by placing a peeled hard-boiled egg in the middle. It looks attractive when sliced.
5. Spoon the remaining pork mixture on top and then fold in the ends of the prosciutto, if the slices are longer than the inside surface of the loaf pan. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Take a larger roasting dish and put 2.5 cm/1 inch of water in the bottom. Lower the loaf pan into the water and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour, until the mixture around the meat has thickened and the meat is firm to the touch.
6. Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and let cool for 30 minutes.
7. The loaf pan should now be cool enough to move to the refrigerator to finish setting. The pâté will take a good few hours to set properly, which is why I recommend making it the day before.
8. I wouldn’t serve this straight from the refrigerator. I let it come to room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before serving.
9. When it comes to serving, just run a knife around the edge of the loaf to release it from the sides of the pan and then turn it out onto a board. You’ll now see what I mean about leaving the small gap between the prosciutto so that you can slice the softer mixture below it without dragging the prosciutto with your knife.
