The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.72
FALL/WINTER2023

Potted chicken & ham.

Another pot and a good one. The genesis for this recipe evaded the Editor’s notice for years because it does not appear in the section of any cookbook covering potted meats. It is modified from the section on hams from Jane Grigson’s indispensible English Food. She based it on an eighteenth century recipe from Mrs. Raffald. Our version uses a lot less butter then either antecedent: The Editor has substituted a little cream, since preservation is not the primary concern in the refrigerated twenty-first century. It will, however, still keep for a while. You will need a food processor unless you are relentless.


potted-ham.jpg- 1 ½ lb poached (or leftover cooked) skinless chicken cut into pieces
- about 2 oz (4 Tablespoons) clarified butter
- about 2 oz heavy cream
- ½ lb ham cut into pieces
- ½ teaspoon mace
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- another 2 Tablespoons, but melted, clarified butter (optional)


 

  1. Process the chicken with 1 oz of the clarified butter and the cream until you have a smooth paste.
  2. Process the ham, the other ounce of butter and the mace, mustard and pepper until you have a second smooth paste.
  3. Grease a ramekin, some ramekins or little ceramic pots, or a small terrine with a little unsalted butter and alternate layers of the chicken and ham in the pot(s).
  4. Film each pot with some melted clarified butter and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (longer is better) before serving.