Marbled Homemade Chicken Ham

Cut the thigh and half the breast into 1.5–2 cm cubes. Grind the remaining breast: through a mincer with a 3–4 mm plate, or in short pulses in a food processor. All the meat must stay cold — around 0…+4 °C.

Add all the salt, sugar and spices to the ground meat and pour in the iced water. Work it with a spatula or a mixer with a dough hook for 5–7 minutes, until the mixture turns tacky and pulls into strands. The mixture must stay below +10 °C. If it starts to warm up, set the bowl over ice.

Add the diced chicken to the ground meat. If you are using pistachios, sun-dried tomatoes or other add-ins, add them now. Work for another 3–4 minutes so the pieces are evenly distributed.

Cover the mixture with cling film and refrigerate for 12–24 hours at 0…+4 °C. During this time the salt and curing salt distribute evenly and the proteins begin to set — the ham comes out firmer and looks better when sliced.

Pack the mixture tightly into a collagen casing, forcing out all the air. Prick any visible bubbles with a fine needle. Even out the roll and tie off the ends. Place the roll in a vacuum bag and seal.

Sous vide: heat the water to 68 °C and cook until the centre of the roll reaches 65–67 °C. Without a probe: a 5–6 cm roll takes about 3 hours, 7–8 cm takes 3.5–4 hours, 9–10 cm about 4.5 hours.

Oven (if you have no sous vide): heat to 85–90 °C with the fan off. Put a tray of boiling water on the bottom shelf. Cook to 65–67 °C inside: a 5–6 cm roll takes 1 h 40 min – 2 h 10 min, 7–8 cm takes 2 h 15 min – 2 h 45 min, 9–10 cm takes 3–3.5 hours.

As soon as it is cooked, move the roll into ice or very cold water for 20–30 minutes. Then refrigerate for at least 6–12 hours — the structure stabilises and the slices come out firm and even.