This week we are talking pork, one of the most versatile and popular ingredients in the country. The humble pig is responsible for some of life’s great pleasures: sausages, rashers, ham, lardons, prosciutto, jamon, crackling, pork fat, pulled pork – the list goes on and on. I would go as far as saying it is my favourite ingredient to cook with, and it doesn’t cost a fortune to buy.
This week I’m cooking two very simple recipes. Slow-roast pork shoulder is a delicious alternative to the more traditional weekend roasts. Shoulder is a beautifully marbled piece of meat with plenty of fat to keep it moist when slow roasted. I would suggest pre-ordering it from your butcher because it’s often minced or diced instead of being placed on sale for roasting. Cooking at a low temperature in some tinfoil will keep the meat moist. Opening it up and cranking up the temperature for the final half-hour is designed to give you that crispy crackling we know and love. Some conventional home ovens often don’t reach the temperatures required to turn the skin to that blistered, popcorn-like texture, often leaving you with a teeth shattering finish and so much smoke you’ll be calling the fire brigade. I’ve discovered a handy tip for anyone who possesses an air fryer. Once the meat is soft and slow-cooked, you can add it to the air fryer and cook at “max fry” for four minutes. This will crackle the skin without the drama. Sauerkraut slaw, a favourite of central Europe, is tangy and crunchy. A perfect foil for the rich and fatty meat.
The second recipe is inspired by travels in Thailand many years ago. Travelling by road from Bangkok to the Krabi region in the south, we stopped off in a roadside shack, dampened from 30-degree heat. Camping gear and woks were the equipment of choice as a dynamic pair of older ladies fried off pork mince (and all the extras) in a bath of fish and oyster sauce. The base was a lip-smacking combination of crispy chilli and garlic, which was finished with noodles and covered in basil freshly torn from the roadside garden. Roasted cashew nuts added the texture and bite. I will never forget the taste sensation, twinned with the idyllic setting. It remains one of my favourite meals of all time. A quick bottle of cold Chang beer and we were happily off on our way to the islands.
This recipe uses pork steak, cut into strips. It’s a very cost-effective meat to add to your midweek repertoire. The magic moment involves the addition of cornflour to the liquids, which transforms into a thick sauce once it hits the heat. The character and ethos of the recipe remains the same as the roadside shack all you need is the setting, the people and the heat.
Recipe: Crispy-skinned pork shoulder wedge with sauerkraut slaw
Recipe: Thai-style fried pork steak noodles with chilli, basil and cashew nuts
