Roast bacon joint recipe

This roast bacon joint is the perfect alternative to a classic roast meat, plus it’s quick and easy to make. 

Our roast bacon joint is ideal for those who want something a little different on a Sunday - or whenever you choose to have your roast. While the roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy are all essential parts of a roast dinner, there’s no denying that the meat is a highlight. This roast bacon joint is so succulent as it roasts for just long enough to infuse the sweet, sticky glaze into the meat without drying it out. Plus, if you have a little more time during the week, you could make this bacon joint and use it in so many different meals - from a luxurious full English breakfast to a delicious pasta dish.

Ingredients

• 900g (2lb) quality bacon joint
• 1 tbsp marmalade
• 1 tbsp mustard
• Mix of vegetables (potatoes, baby carrots, parsnips, shallots, sweet potatoes, squash, apples or plums or any of your favourite seasonal root vegetables will work well).

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
2. Place the joint into a foil-lined roasting pan. Add a small cup of water and lightly scrunch the foil around the joint. 
3. Cook the joint for 20 minutes in the centre of the oven. Meanwhile, make up a glaze by mixing the marmalade and mustard together in a cup, and prepare the vegetables by placing them in a separate roasting pan, drizzled with a little olive oil and seasoned.
4. After the bacon has been cooking for 20 minutes, add the vegetables to the oven on a high shelf. Remove the bacon, open up the foil and brush the joint with the glaze. Return it to the oven for another 20 minutes.
5. Remove the bacon from the oven (it will have cooked for 40 minutes in total). Allow the joint to rest while the vegetables finish cooking (they will need another 15-25 minutes).

Tips for making this roast bacon joint:

Make sure you add enough water to your roasting pan (aim for 1cm up the sides), as this will create a little steam during cooking and keep the joint moist. Skipping this step or not adding enough water could dry out the meat. 

Is a bacon joint the same as gammon?

No, technically there is a difference, though the terms are often used interchangeably. Bacon is any cut of cured pork meat. Gammon is specifically the hind leg side of cured bacon. Both bacon and gammon can be smoked or unsmoked. Unsmoked it is sometimes referred to as 'green'. 

What other glazes can I use on this roast bacon joint?

You can glaze the bacon with honey, honey and mustard, or your favourite jam or fruit jelly. If you prefer, you can add cola to the pan instead of water, which adds even more flavour to the meat.

You might also like…

• Hairy Bikers’ roast potatoes
• Roasted Mediterranean vegetables
• Chicken, bacon and mushroom plate pie