Cooking

[Christmas Tree 4851]

 

What would your 'entertainment' be?

YouTube garden party of course

[Christmas Tree 4851]

Or what Fist said

[ChezGiven 0]

@@Brock Manson

@@Ausman

@@Ant

@@Monkeys Fist

 

Going to do some roast pork, probably this friday for 5 or 6 people. Had a right faff on making sure i got the right cut due to differences in cuts / terminology etc (have a look here if you're interested http://brunetteabicyclette.com/2012/03/14/buying-meat-in-france-le-porc/ )

 

Spoke to my butcher, mentioned the word 'crackling', he doesnt speak a word of English but his eyes lit up as he knew what i wanted. Its the 'pallette' which is basically the middle shoulder or 'blade'.

 

None of the people i will be cooking for have had a roast pork with crackling before, i want to slow cook it for a few hours which i will have the time to do as i am working from home on friday. Bramley apples are going to be impossible to find, so need to think about that too.

 

Advice, tips etc. I want the crackling to be top notch but not being practiced in the art, i need to pull it off first time.

Edited September 11, 2013 by ChezGiven

[Monkeys Fist 43115]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/apr/15/how-to-make-perfect-crackling

 

Take your pick

[Christmas Tree 4851]

@@Brock Manson

@@Ausman

@@Ant

 

Going to do some roast pork, probably this friday for 5 or 6 people. Had a right faff on making sure i got the right cut due to differences in cuts / terminology etc (have a look here if you're interested http://brunetteabicyclette.com/2012/03/14/buying-meat-in-france-le-porc/ )

 

Spoke to my butcher, mentioned the word 'crackling', he doesnt speak a word of English but his eyes lit up as he knew what i wanted. Its the 'pallette' which is basically the middle shoulder or 'blade'.

 

None of the people i will be cooking for have had a roast pork with crackling before, i want to slow cook it for a few hours which i will have the time to do as i am working from home on friday. Bramley apples are going to be impossible to find, so need to think about that too.

 

Advice, tips etc. I want the crackling to be top notch but not being practiced in the art, i need to pull it off first time.

 

I urge, yes urge you to watch the Jamie Oliver episode that went out this week on channel 4. It was all about this cut of meat and how to get superb crackling on the top and pull apart meat underneath.

 

Basically he rubbed oil, salt and fennel seeds in after scoring all over. Very high heat for a few hours to sort crackling and lower heat for 4 hours or so to sort pull apart meat.

 

He chucked some eating apples in for the last few hours to use as apple sauce.

 

It truly looked magnificent.

 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-money-saving-meals/4od#3574025

Edited September 11, 2013 by Christmas Tree

[ChezGiven 0]

Just added @ you as i forgot one of the culinary masters of TT!

 

Need to think about the whole thing, side dishes, apple sauce the lot.

 

Anyway, as that article says there are 7 (seven!) main schools of thought. I need personal experience and advice here.

[ChezGiven 0]

I urge, yes urge you to watch the Jamie Oliver episode that went out this week on channel 4. It was all about this cut of meat and how to get superb crackling on the top and pull apart meat underneath. Basically he rubbed oil, salt and fennel seeds in after scoring all over. Very high heat for a few hours to sort crackling and lower heat for 4 hours or so to sort pull apart meat. He chucked some eating apples in for the last few hours to use as apple sauce. It truly looked magnificent. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-money-saving-meals/4od#3574025

Not available here, already had a look at his site for this and that recipe is on there. The meat cooking / crackling instructions are pretty basic, its more about the sides which do sound lush. The one with red onion, red cabbage and jam sounds lush.

[Monkeys Fist 43115]

@@ChezGiven

Green beans with garlic and lemon zest

 

Blanch the beans for a couple of minutes , refresh in cold water.

Heat some oil and butter in a sauté pan and gently fry crushed garlic and a little flaked chilli ( chilli optional ).

Add the beans, warm though for about 5 minutes, then add the lemon zest and toss through.

[ChezGiven 0]

@@ChezGiven

Green beans with garlic and lemon zest

 

Blanch the beans for a couple of minutes , refresh in cold water.

Heat some oil and butter in a sauté pan and gently fry crushed garlic and a little flaked chilli ( chilli optional ).

Add the beans, warm though for about 5 minutes, then add the lemon zest and toss through.

 

Ha! We do green beans a bit like that but just with shallots and piment espelette (mild basque chills).

 

Garlic and lemon sounds lush.

[Tooj 17]

When looking for perfect crackling I've always had the pork on a really high heat for a couple of hours (scored obviously) and then turned it down.

[ChezGiven 0]

Couple of hours? I was planning 30 to 45 minutes at 250c then down to 130c for a few hours.

[Christmas Tree 4851]

Couple of hours? I was planning 30 to 45 minutes at 250c then down to 130c for a few hours.

Correct

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2013 by Christmas Tree

[Ausman 0]

Okay that Jamie Oliver method is not to bad, although I just rub salt into it skin, especially flaky or rock salt. Most definitely not table salt.

 

Here's an excellent sauce to go with your Pork and your French guests will be impressed.

 

SAUCE NORMANDE:

 

100g butter

1 onion finely chopped

30 g of flour

500ml of cider

250ml of cream

s&p

pinch of grated nutmeg

a few drops of lemon juice

 

 

Melt tablespoon of butter, add onions and cook over low fire, brown slightly.

Add the half of the butter and flour whisking all the time until foaming.

Then whisk in the cider, bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook for about ten minutes.

Add your cream and seasoning, bring back to the boil then take off the heat, whisk in the rest of the butter.

add the drops of lemon, and a good dash of Calvados to enhance the apple flavour.

[Brock Manson 0]

The trick to crackling is to pat the meat dry first, then score it, rub olive oil over all the meat and salt it. As Ausman said - use rock salt. Few sprigs of thyme too, or whatever you fancy.

 

High heat for 30 mins (220 fan) then turn it down to 150 and give it another hour. Turn the oven up again (220) for a final 30 mins and that should give you a good crackling. You can always give the crackling longer in the oven whilst the meat rests to crisp it up more.

 

As for sides, I like creamy savoy cabbage (Nigella does a good recipe) and apple mash. Although maybe dauphinoise potatoes would go down well too. I like making a sauce out of the meat juices to bring everything together, but that Sauce Normande looks mighty fine - can't go far wrong with a cider sauce when you're serving pork.

[ChezGiven 0]

Okay that Jamie Oliver method is not to bad, although I just rub salt into it skin, especially flaky or rock salt. Most definitely not table salt.

 

Here's an excellent sauce to go with your Pork and your French guests will be impressed.

 

SAUCE NORMANDE:

 

100g butter

1 onion finely chopped

30 g of flour

500ml of cider

250ml of cream

s&p

pinch of grated nutmeg

a few drops of lemon juice

 

 

Melt tablespoon of butter, add onions and cook over low fire, brown slightly.

Add the half of the butter and flour whisking all the time until foaming.

Then whisk in the cider, bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook for about ten minutes.

Add your cream and seasoning, bring back to the boil then take off the heat, whisk in the rest of the butter.

add the drops of lemon, and a good dash of Calvados to enhance the apple flavour.

Excellent. I will source some artisanal cider from Normandy and leave the white lightning, for the guests. At the start there you've got onions browning in butter and then you add 30g of flour, whisk until 'foaming'? I would have thought that amount of flour and butter would lump together? How do you mean foaming?

[ChezGiven 0]

The trick to crackling is to pat the meat dry first, then score it, rub olive oil over all the meat and salt it. As Ausman said - use rock salt. Few sprigs of thyme too, or whatever you fancy.

 

High heat for 30 mins (220 fan) then turn it down to 150 and give it another hour. Turn the oven up again (220) for a final 30 mins and that should give you a good crackling. You can always give the crackling longer in the oven whilst the meat rests to crisp it up more.

 

As for sides, I like creamy savoy cabbage (Nigella does a good recipe) and apple mash. Although maybe dauphinoise potatoes would go down well too. I like making a sauce out of the meat juices to bring everything together, but that Sauce Normande looks mighty fine - can't go far wrong with a cider sauce when you're serving pork.

Savoy cabbage! I think we are good here. I was thinking dauphinoise too but was also thinking keep it simple with only one oven, might need flexibility with temperature late on for the pork. For potatoes I was thinking sauté instead with a bit of garlic. Not sure yet.

 

That sauce and creamy cabbage together?

[ChezGiven 0]

Duck confit tonight by the way, its from the best supplier in south west. Special treat so opened a 2005 Margaux. Get in.

[Brock Manson 0]

Could always simply boil/steam the cabbage in some cider so there's no overdose on the cream. Even sautee that afterwards with some raisins and breadcrumbs for a bit of texture.

[The Fish 10972]

Don't forget the buttered slice.

[Ausman 0]

Excellent. I will source some artisanal cider from Normandy and leave the white lightning, for the guests. At the start there you've got onions browning in butter and then you add 30g of flour, whisk until 'foaming'? I would have thought that amount of flour and butter would lump together? How do you mean foaming?

 

 

Bubbling slightly, I mean it's only about a tablespoon of flour though. Just enough time to cook out the flour taste.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Ausman

[Christmas Tree 4851]

Sounds nice Ausman. Might give that a whirl on Sunday.

[ChezGiven 0]

 

 

Bubbling slightly, I mean it's only about a tablespoon of flour though. Just enough time to cook out the flour taste.

Got you. 30g of flour is a bit more than a tablespoon though. For one reason or another i am good at estimating the weight of powder quantities. I just checked and 30g is about 4 tablespoons.

[Ausman 0]

Got you. 30g of flour is a bit more than a tablespoon though. For one reason or another i am good at estimating the weight of powder quantities. I just checked and 30g is about 4 tablespoons.

 

 

I never thought 4 tablespoons would equal 30g, well there you go. Anyway just keep whisking the whole time so it doesn't clump up, a minute should be enough.

[trophyshy 7084]

Just do about 12 lines of flour Chez.

[ChezGiven 0]