British Ham Hock & Dijon Mayo Recipe

Make the Dijon mayo first so flavors meld: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard and 2 tbsp crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt).

Add 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust salt, honey or mustard to balance tang and sweetness.

Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the ham hock and assemble sandwiches (can be made up to 2 days ahead).

Prepare Ham Hock (if starting from unsliced leftovers)

If your ham hock is not already shredded, warm 1 cooked ham hock (about 500–600 g before shredding) in a covered pot with 2–3 tbsp water over low heat for 8–10 minutes to loosen. Remove, discard any large pieces of skin or gristle, then shred meat finely with two forks. You should have about 1 1/2 cups shredded meat.

Season the shredded ham hock with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Fold in 1/2 cup of the prepared Dijon mayo until meat is evenly coated but not soggy. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1 tsp English mustard if you want a sharper bite.

Split and lightly toast 4 sandwich rolls (or buns) until just golden. This will prevent sogginess from the mayo and keep texture.

Spread about 1 tbsp Dijon mayo on the cut sides of each roll. On the bottom half, layer 1 cup (about 1/4 cup per sandwich) baby spinach or butter lettuce leaves to create a moisture barrier.

Divide the dressed shredded ham hock evenly among the 4 rolls (about 3/8 cup per sandwich). Arrange 1–2 sliced cornichons per sandwich over the ham for acidity and crunch.

Close the rolls and press gently. Cut each sandwich in half if desired and serve immediately.

Leftover Dijon mayo can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 days; assembled sandwiches are best eaten the same day to maintain roll texture.