Roast bacon joint recipe

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A roast bacon joint is something a little different for your Sunday roast, plus it's a great choice if you're on a tight budget, being cheaper and quicker to cook.

carved roast bacon joint on a wooden board
(Image credit: Cultura RM / Alamy Stock Photo)
  • healthy
Serves4–6
SkillEasy
Cooking Time40 mins (20 mins per 450g/½kg (1lb)
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories323 Kcal16%
Sugar7.9 g9%
Fat21.2 g30%
Saturated Fat8.1 g41%
Salt3.66 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein25.8 g52%
Carbohydrates8.0 g3%
Salt3.66 gRow 7 - Cell 2

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).

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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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.

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Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 12 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies