Oven | Yummy Lummy

This week I watched an episode of Nigella’s Kitchen where she cooked pig hocks. While I didn’t have a pig hock it was easy enough to buy a rolled piece of pork with some rind on it. I knew it would require gentle cooking and could not be treated like a hock.

I placed the pork on some onions in a baking tray and then placed into a hot oven (220 °C) for 20 minutes to sear the skin. I pulled the pork out and poured some XXXX Gold ale over it and added a quartered royal gala apple and a potato. I put some foil over this and placed into a moderate oven (160 °C) for 90 minutes. I then pulled the meat out and turned the oven back up to 220 °C, uncovered the meat and returned it to the oven for 20 minutes.

I pulled the meat, apple and potato out and then heated the onion and juices to make a sauce. This was by a simple reduction.

The crackling was crisp and the meat was okay. It wasn’t as tender as I’m sure Nigella’s hock would be. It had a nice flavour.

Next time I’ll use an hock.

XXXX Gold Beer

Pork from Coles

Pork in a baking tray sitting on onions

Ready for the oven after a quick blast and after the beer has been added

Nearly finished

Carved ready for my plate

Plated up with the gravy

The crackling was pretty good.

Cider Braised Pork with Caramelized Onions (mccutcheonsblog.wordpress.com)
Perfect Butter Beans With Ham Hocks And Honey (romancingthebee.com)
Southwestern Pork Tenderloin with Soy Succotash Recipe – SoyConnection.com (soyconnection.com)
Pork Chops with Roasted Apples and Onions (sisterslikeme.wordpress.com)
Rub Your Meat (ideasinfood.com)
Cooking With Beer (secondblooming.typepad.com)
How to Cook the Best Oven-Baked Ribs (answers.com)
Recipe: Orange Marmalade Pork Roast (elizababble.wordpress.com)

I had intended this meal for tomorrow night but I will be away for most of tomorrow and won’t be back until late. It seems so indulgent, decadent to have a Wagyu steak two nights in a row.

I had some left over vegetables in the refrigerator I didn’t want to waste. I made it look a little nicer by crumbing some bread and cheese and putting it in the oven to heat through and brown on the top.

Last night I followed a recipe, tonight I tried a variation. I heated the oven to 100 °C and put the vegetables in. After 30 minutes I heated up the stove to high and got my my saucepan and oil hazing. I had already dried the meat surfaces with paper towel and seasoned with salt and pepper. I seared one side for sixty seconds (that is, I counted to 60 slowly) and then turned and put straight into the oven. I left it there for 30 minutes and pulled it out. I put the meat on a warmed plate and covered with aluminium foil to rest for 10 minutes. I turned the grill to high and browned the top of the vegetables. The rest is history.

Rather than a long page of images, here is a slideshow to enjoy.

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Two nights in a row. There’s nothing wrong with that.