Shoulder of Pork

I did pork belly again at the weekend and this was what the crackling looked like:

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Seasoned with sea salt and dried the skin for two days in the fridge (score first, it's easier), 210 degrees C (fan) for 15 minutes, then 7 hours at 130. Then cut off the crackling while the meat is resting and give it 5 minutes under a medium grill. Pops the crackling nicely :D.
 
I'm another fan of slow roast pork. Same procedure as most people: Half an hour at 220c and then about 12 hours at 120c. Rest for 20 mins and dig in.

I use exactly the same technique with beef brisket. I do that on a bed of veg - makes the most delicious gravy (I use the roasted veg with some bones to make stock as well so nothing wasted).
 
Low and slow is the way. I do it with a lot of things now. Going to do a chilli tonight but with steak, not mince. That will be done very low and slow all night.
 
divaboy said:
Everyone says cook veg underneath for kick ass gravy but how do you get the gravy thick? If I add flour it always goes lumpy suggestions?

At the moment I just add instant gravy to thicken it up
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We do gravy this way and her are the steps we follow for lump free ness.
-Cook meat in pan with a large onion, large carrot 3-4 celery sticks all roughly chopped and some garlic and suitable herbs.
- Remove meat and cover it to rest
- Spoon off as much fat from the juices as I feel like/can be bothered with
- de glaze the pan with a small glass of a suitable alcoholic beverage (White wine or cider for pork)
- place on a high heat to evaportate the booze whiles crushing everything with a potato masher
- Stir in Two heaped tablespoons of flour (you should land up with a pretty dry sticky brown mash)
- add a couple of litres of stock and put on the hob.
- Leave it reducing on the hob for 10 minutes or so then sieve it into a pan to keep warm until serving time.

Has never failed to produce a brilliant gravy which our guests always comment on, haven't touched instant gravy in a couple of years now. It is importnat to remember that gravy should never be the really dark thick sludge that bisto is.
 
I always keep an ice tray full of light brown roux in the freezer. Best thing for thickening gravy imo...creates a liquid that is still silky smooth but nice and rich in flavour.
 
divaboy said:
Everyone says cook veg underneath for kick ass gravy but how do you get the gravy thick? If I add flour it always goes lumpy suggestions?

At the moment I just add instant gravy to thicken it up
Click to expand...

This is the way I've always done it:

Remove the meat from the veg and let it rest on a plate.
Put the pan with all the veg and juices on a hob and put on a med heat.
Put a heaped tablespoon of flour evenly over the veg and fat and start mashing and stirring with a wooden spoon.
After a minute you should end up with the veg and a thick sauce.
Thin to the consistency you would like with stock.
 
Just put my lamb shoulder in the oven. Just sat it on some potatoes and onion and set the temp to 100c.

I seasoned it with a spice rub yesterday and marinaded it overnight.
 
Nice! What marinade have you used for the lamb?

I've got some shoulder of pork that's been cut into steaks (it was less, per kilo, than minced beef) that I'm going to make a chilli with today, not sure whether to roast them first and add to the chilli at the end or brown and add straight to it.
 
I used a moroccan spice rub, can't remember its name. Bought it a little while away and used it to great success previously.

For yours I would be tempted to brown it off quickly and add it to the chili early and then cook for a good old while, then pull the pork at the end.
 
pepp77 said:
I used a moroccan spice rub, can't remember its name. Bought it a little while away and used it to great success previously.

For yours I would be tempted to brown it off quickly and add it to the chili early and then cook for a good old while, then pull the pork at the end.
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Is the spice rub Ras el hanout?
 
QuickLink said:
Did a belly of pork at the weekend at 75c for 22hrs and then 30min at 200c on a wire rack, water underneath, covered in a sealed foil cave I made for it.

Marinated in salt, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, star anise, garlic and olive oil. Rubbed most off and chucked the hard spices (cinnamon & star anise) in water while it cooked.

Dry and salt the fat more before you put it back in for it's 30min at 200 for the best crackling.

Heaven.

EDIT:

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Moist!
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That looks epic :)
 
OK. Chili is in the oven. This is the recipe I used:

1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 cloves garlic chopped.
600g shoulder steak rubbed with cumin, coriander seed and paprika.
Cinnamon, salt, pepper.
3 Tins chopped tomatoes.
Kidney beans.

Using a pan that can go on the hob and in the oven, put it on a very high heat with some vegetable oil.
When the oil is scorching hot start adding the pork up to one layer to brown. Remove, add the second batch and repeat.
Turn the heat down and add the vegetables to the pan, stir to coat in the flavoured oil and lay the pork steaks on top.
When the vegetables have softened add the tomatoes, a tsp of cinnamon powder and season.
Put in a pre-heated oven at 150c. Cook for 2 hours removing the lid half an hour from the end and adding the kidney beans.
Serve with rice.

Currently in the oven, still got an hour of cooking time left. I'm hungry.
 
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