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1
Place the desalted lacón in a large pot and cover generously with cold water. Set over a low flame and bring slowly to a bare simmer — this protects the clarity of the broth. Skim any foam that rises. The water should tremble, not boil.
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2
After 1 hour of gentle simmering, add the chorizo whole. Continue at the same unhurried simmer. The fat of the chorizo will begin to colour the broth a faint rust-orange.
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3
After a further 30 minutes (1.5 hours from the start), add the potatoes. Simmer until they yield to a skewer but hold their shape — approximately 20–25 minutes.
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4
This is where the dish lives or dies. In the final 15–20 minutes, add the grelos to the pot. They must be barely cooked: still green, still slightly bitter, retaining all mineral resistance. Pull one leaf from the pot — it should be tender but not collapsed, and its colour must remain a deep, dark green. The moment the green begins to fade to olive, remove the pot from the heat.
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5
Taste the broth. Season the grelos with a small pinch of salt only now — they require it even though the lacón has already lent salinity to the pot. Adjust nothing else until this final moment.
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6
Lift the lacón from the pot and carve into thick slices. Slice or halve the chorizo. Arrange the pork, chorizo, potatoes and grelos together on a single large platter. Pour a generous measure of Galician olive oil over the whole surface and serve immediately.