Yummy Lummy

A blog about food and me

Author: Gary

  • Cured pork shoulder hock and speck

    Cured pork shoulder hock and speck


    Cured pork shoulder hock[i] and speck[ii]

    I answered some swine-related questions at work this week, so tonight I thought I’d have some pork.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Cured pork shoulder hock
    • Cured pork speck
    • Cabbage
    • Beef fat
    • Salt
    • Water
    • Bowen mango

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker
    • Barbecue grill with a cast-iron hot plate.

    Instructions

    1. Place the pork products and a cup of water into the slow cooker.
    2. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
    3. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and dissect out the bones and some of the tougher ligaments.
    4. Pull the meat with a pair of forks.
    5. Place the cabbage into a saucepan and add some boiling water, beef fat, and salt.
    6. “Parboil” the cabbage until it softens a little.
    7. Remove the cabbage from the liquid, drain and remove excess liquid, and freeze.
    8. Heat the barbecue grill and cast-iron hot plate.
    9. Cook the cabbage on the hot plate until the surfaces have caramelised.
    10. Slice some Bowen mango.
    11. Arrange a dinner plate with the pork, cabbage, and mango.
    12. Season with some flaky salt.

    Thoughts on the meal

    I enjoy slowly cooked pork, especially joints like cured hock. I particularly enjoy fatty products like speck, too.

    Cabbage always goes well with pork, and some fruit “cuts” the flavours nicely.

    Photographs

    This is a gallery of images. Select one and scroll through the gallery.

    Pork shoulder hock and speck immediately after cooking. The meat had split apart from the bones in the hock.
    Pork shoulder hock and speck with Bowen mango and cabbage fried in beef fat

    Other meals

    I went on a carbohydrate splurge today.

    Morning tea[iii]

    I bought a cream bun and had it with a cup of coffee. It was lovely. The cream was light and not too sweet. The strawberry jam was also nice.

    Cream bun and coffee. The plate for the cream bun is a piece of Dolphins NRL merchandise.

    Lunch

    I made a steak sandwich with some white sourdough bread, which I’d lightly toasted. I also added chunks of butter to some lightly toasted sourdough “croutons.” For contrast, I chomped on a pickled gherkin, too.

    Scotch fillet steak sandwich with a pickled gherkin plus French butter on toasted sourdough.

    [i] A cured pork shoulder hock is a cut of pork taken from the he pig’s foreleg (the hock), that has been preserved and flavoured through curing—typically with salt, sugar, and sometimes spices. It’s known for its flavour and gelatinous texture, often used to add depth to soups, stews, beans, and braised dishes.

    [ii] Speck is a type of cured, lightly smoked ham from the South Tyrol region of northern Italy. It’s made from pork leg, seasoned with spices like juniper and bay leaves, then smoked and aged in mountain air, giving it a distinctive savory, smoky flavour.

    [iii] In Australian slang, “mornos” means morning tea—a mid-morning break, usually around 10–11 am, where people pause for a snack, a cuppa, or a chat. When working with ADF colleagues, the word “mornos” is commonly used.

  • Beef short rib with Brussels sprouts!

    Beef short rib with Brussels sprouts!


    I had a meeting this week with a former work colleague in Tasmania. Brussels sprouts came up in the conversation. I didn’t like them as a child, even when Mum cooked with bacon.

    These days, though, I like them, especially when parboiled and finished in beef fat on a cast-iron pan. Crispy Brussels sprouts are now a favourite vegetable.

    Barbecue “emergency”

    During the week, I had some meetings that would extend late into the evening, so I carefully orchestrated the evening meal to fit within a short break.

    I had my meat ready and was about to ignite the barbecue. I opened the bottle valve, then opened the barbecue valve and pressed the electric ignition switch. I saw and heard sparks, but saw no flames! The tank had gas. I disconnected the hoses and the regulator and reconnected them to reset the regulator. Still no flame. I removed the grill plates and checked the burners for blockages. Nup, the burners were clean, and all the holes were open. I deduced it was the regulator[i]. It had to be. It was too late in the evening, and I didn’t have time to drive to the hardware store. I had to cook my meat inside on the stove top. I’m sure it would have tasted better cooked on the barbecue.

    The next morning, I drove to the hardware store before work and bought a new regulator. After installing it, I rejoiced at the sight and sound of a gas flame erupting from the burner tubing.

    I use the barbecue nearly every night to cook meat. If the problem had been more difficult, I would have been unhappy.

    Tonight’s meal needed the barbecue to work.

    Recipe

    Slow-cooked beef short ribs with Brussels sprouts fried in beef fat, served with blue-vein cheese and mustard sauce.

    Ingredients

    • Beef short ribs[ii]
    • Salt
    • Water
    • Brussels sprouts[iii]
    • Beef fat
    • Butter
    • Cream
    • Cream cheese
    • Mustard
    • Blue vein cheese[iv]

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker
    • Barbecue
    • Gas torch
    • Saucepan

    Instructions

    1. Cook the beef short ribs with salt and water in the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
    2. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half (longitudinally).
    3. Parboil the Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes.
    4. Drain the Brussels sprouts, lay them cut side down on a plate, and then place the plate in the freezer.
    5. Remove the ribs and keep one aside.
    6. Dry the surface with absorbent paper.
    7. Heat the barbecue, which contains a shallow cast-iron plate with beef fat from previous cooking sessions.
    8. Place the frozen Brussels sprouts on the cast-iron plate, cut side down.
    9. Heat some butter in a small saucepan, then slowly add the cream, cream cheese, and mustard. Crumble in the blue vein cheese and keep stirring until a sauce forms.
    10. Place the sequestered beef short rib on a hot grill plate to sear the surface.
    11. Add to the searing with a gas torch.
    12. Transfer the beef short rib and Brussels sprouts to a dinner plate.
    13. Drizzle the blue vein cheese and mustard sauce over the meat and Brussels sprouts.
    14. Use a sharp, non-serrated dinner knife to avoid tearing the meat. You want to cut cleanly against the grain. Perfectly cooked meat won’t squash between the knife and bone. The meat will come away from the bone easily and have a bit of “bounce” when pressed.

    Thoughts on the meal

    The meat was tender and combined well with the crispy Brussels sprouts and the creamy, pungent sauce.

    The meat came away from the bone easily but wasn’t mushy. I cut the meat with a sharp knife. It cut easily into bite-sized portions and then combined with sauce and Brussels sprouts for a bite with incredible flavour and mouthfeel.

    I will definitely cook this again.

    Photographs

    This is a gallery of images. Select one and then scroll through them.

    Slow-cooked beef short rib with Brussels sprouts fried in beef fat and served with blue vein cheese and mustard sauce
    Slow-cooked beef short rib with Brussels sprouts fried in beef fat and served with blue vein cheese and mustard sauce
    Slow-cooked beef short rib with Brussels sprouts fried in beef fat and served with blue vein cheese and mustard sauce

    Questions

    How often do you cook with a barbecue?

    Have you ever had a barbecue “emergency?”

    Do you like Brussels sprouts? How do you want them cooked?

    [i] A barbecue gas regulator is a compact device attached to your LPG cylinder that reduces high cylinder pressure to a safe, steady flow for cooking. In Australia, the standard is 2.75 kPa, with modern LCC27 fittings offering improved safety. Regulators are typically sold with hoses (PVC or braided) and may include gauges for monitoring gas levels. They are essential for safe and reliable barbecue operation. I bought the cheapest one I could find. It didn’t come with a gauge.

    [ii] Beef short ribs are a richly marbled cut taken from the chuck, plate, or rib areas, prized for their deep flavour and tenderness when slow-cooked.

    [iii] Brussels sprouts are small, leafy green vegetables that resemble miniature cabbages, belonging to the Brassica oleracea species. They are cultivated for their edible buds.

    [iv] Blue vein cheese (often called blue cheese) is a type of cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk that is ripened with cultures of the fungal mould Penicillium roqueforti, giving it distinctive blue, green, or grey veins throughout its body and a strong, pungent flavour.

  • Porterhouse Steak

    Porterhouse Steak


    🥩 What is a Porterhouse[i] Steak in Australia?

    In Australia, the term porterhouse steak refers to what many other countries call a sirloin steak. It’s cut from the short loin section of the cow, sitting just behind the ribs. The meat is leaner than ribeye (scotch fillet), with a firm texture and a beefy flavour.

    It gets confusing. I may be wrong about this, but this is my understanding:

    • 🇦🇺 Australia: Porterhouse = Sirloin.
    • 🇺🇸 United States: Porterhouse = A large T-bone steak, cut from the rear end of the short loin, which includes both the tenderloin (eye fillet) and the strip steak (sirloin).
    • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Porterhouse is sometimes used interchangeably with T-bone, but definitions vary.

    If you ask for a porterhouse in an Australian restaurant or butcher’s shop, don’t expect a massive T-bone with eye fillet attached. You’ll get a steak which is lean, flavoursome, and perfect for sous vide.

    💰 Why is Porterhouse Cheaper than Scotch Fillet?

    Meat is getting more expensive. Compared with this time last year, it feels like what I now pay for porterhouse is what I was paying for scotch fillet last year.

    Scotch fillet[ii] (ribeye) comes from the rib section and is appreciated for its marbling, tenderness, and flavour. Porterhouse, being leaner and less marbled, is generally cheaper. It’s still delicious, but it doesn’t have the same mouthfeel as scotch fillet. For everyday cooking, porterhouse offers more value without compromising on taste. Chuck steak would be cheaper, but chuck is tougher.

    🍽️ Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 × porterhouse steak (375 g)
    • Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper
    • Brussels sprouts, halved
    • Frozen potato gems
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Pure pouring cream
    • Cream cheese
    • Butter
    • Bowen mango

    Method

    1. Sous Vide Steak
      • Season the porterhouse with salt and pepper.
      • Seal in a vacuum bag and cook in a water bath at 55 °C for 2 hours.
      • Remove, pat dry, and sear quickly on a barbecue grill.
    2. Brussels Sprouts
      • Blanch in salted boiling water for 3 minutes.
      • Toss on a barbecue grill until caramelised.
    3. Potato Gems
      • Fry in beef fat until crisp and golden.
    4. Blue Vein Cheese Sauce
      • Melt butter in a small saucepan.
      • Add cream cheese and cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
      • Crumble in blue vein cheese and stir until smooth.
    5. Plate Up
      • Slice the porterhouse and arrange with mango slices, Brussels sprouts and potato gems.
      • Drizzle generously with blue vein cheese sauce.

    This dish balances the beefiness of porterhouse steak with the creamy, salty blue vein cheese. The potato gems add crunch, while Brussels sprouts bring a nutty sweetness. The Bowen mango adds a fresh sweet flavour.

    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.

    🥐 Raspberry and Pistachio Cinnamon Scroll

    I visited Cannelle Fine Foods[iii] on Hayward Avenue, Torrensville, and picked up a raspberry and pistachio cinnamon scroll.

    As seen on their Instagram feed, this scroll is as advertised:

    • A nice pastry scroll.
    • Cinnamon icing.
    • Dried raspberry and crunchy pistachios sprinkled on top for texture and a nutty finish.

    It’s a good companion to a strong coffee, balancing richness with sharpness.

    Raspberry and pistachio cinnamon scroll from Cannelle Fine French Pastries with a coffee

    🥭 Mango

    I don’t eat a lot of fruit these days. I still enjoy a mango. My favourite variety is the Bowen, which is also known as a Kensington Pride.

    Photograph of an uncut Bowen mango on a plate

    Bowen Mango: The original name, because the first trees were planted in Bowen, Queensland, in the late 1800s.

    Kensington Pride Mango: Later, the variety spread to Kensington Station near Bowen, and growers began calling it “Kensington Pride.” Over time, this name became more widely used across Australia.

    In Queensland[iv], many locals still call it the Bowen mango. We had a Bowen mango tree in the backyard of the house I grew up in.

    Map of Queensland coloured maroon

    Across most of Australia, it’s marketed and sold as Kensington Pride.

    Final Thoughts

    Porterhouse steak may not have the gravitas of scotch fillet, but when cooked sous vide and paired with flavours like blue vein cheese, it shines. And finishing with a mango makes for an indulgent evening.

    Questions

    1. What do you mean by porterhouse where you live?
    2. Have you noticed a change in meat prices?
    3. Do you like mangoes? What’s your favourite variety for plain eating?

    [i] The word porterhouse originally referred to a type of tavern or chophouse in the mid‑18th century where porter (a dark beer) was served. By the early 19th century, the name became associated with a particular cut of beef steak, supposedly popularised in New York or Boston establishments.

    [ii] Scotch fillet is the Australian and New Zealand term for the boneless ribeye steak. The word fillet comes from Old French filet (“thread, strip”), later applied to cuts of meat. The Scotch part likely reflects a marketing or culinary association with Scotland, where rib cuts were prized, though the exact origin is unclear.

    [iii] https://cannelle.com.au/

    [iv] The greatest state in the federation.

  • Breakfast for Dinner

    Breakfast for Dinner


    🥓 Breakfast for Dinner

    Tonight’s dish is a breakfast fry-up. It has a twist: pork rashers grilled on the Weber Q+ instead of bacon. It also had eggs fried in butter, crispy potato gems, and a generous slice of black pudding. It’s rich, satisfying, and meaty.

    Microsoft Copilot generated image of me with a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Microsoft Copilot generated image of me with a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.

    🍳 The Recipe: A Breakfast Fry-Up for Dinner

    Ingredients (Serves 1)

    • Pork rashers (400 g at $AUD23/kg)
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tbsp salted butter
    • 4 slices of black pudding
    • 1 cup potato gems (frozen)
    • Beef fat
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Equipment

    • Weber Q+ barbecue grill
    • Frying pan (cast iron preferred)
    • Tongs and a spatula
    • Baking tray (for potato gems)
    • Plate and paper towel (for resting meat)

    🔥 Methodology

    1. Prep the Weber Q+
      Fire up the Weber Q+ and preheat to medium-high with the hotplate in place. You want a good sizzle when the rashers hit.
    2. Cook the pork rashers
      Lay the rashers on the hotplate and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, until the fat renders and the edges crisp. Rest them on a paper towel-lined plate.
    3. Potato gems
      Cook the potato gems in the Weber Q+ with the lid closed for 20 minutes, turning halfway. You want them golden and crunchy.
    4. Black pudding
      Grill the black pudding slices on the Weber for 2–3 minutes each side. They should be warmed through with a slight crust.
    5. Fry the eggs
      In a hot pan, melt the butter and crack in the eggs. Fry until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper.
    6. Plate up
      Arrange the pork rashers, black pudding, potato gems, and eggs on a warm plate. Serve immediately.

    🧠 Thoughts on the Meal

    This dinner is delicious. The pork rashers bring fatty goodness, especially when grilled to perfection. The black pudding adds a deep, earthy richness that pairs with the egg yolk. Potato gems offer crunch; the eggs, fried in butter, are the glue that ties it all together.

    Black pudding is not easy to find and not commonly eaten in Australia. I first tried it when I was in London for work many years ago. I was delighted to see my butcher stocked locally made black pudding.

    It’s not light fare, but it’s deeply satisfying. Perfect for a night when you want comfort food.

    📸 Photography Notes

    For this shoot, I used a lightbox. The plate was on a white surface. I shot at a 45° angle to capture texture and depth.

    This is a gallery of photographs, select one and scroll through the rest.

    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.

    📚 Glossary

    • Pork rashers: Thick slices of pork belly, often with skin and bone. Similar to American-style pork chops but fattier.
    • Black pudding: A type of blood sausage made with pork blood, fat, and oatmeal. Popular in British and Irish breakfasts.
    • Potato gems: Known elsewhere as tater tots. Small cylinders of grated potato, deep-fried or baked until crispy.
    • Weber Q+: A popular Australian gas BBQ with heat control and versatility.

    Morning walk

  • Corned beef and pickle liquor

    Corned beef and pickle liquor


    I had mentioned to someone a few weeks ago that I was enjoying a pickled gherkin with lunch when I made an open sandwich. It was suggested that the liquor[i] from the jar shouldn’t be discarded because it could be used for slow-cooking corned beef.

    I had about a cupful of pickle liquor, so I thought I’d give it a go.

    I bought a piece of corned silverside[ii] (roughly 2 kg at $AUD10/kg) and slowly cooked it with the pickle liquor.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Corned beef silverside
    • Pickle liquor

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker

    Instructions

    1. Place the beef into the cooking vessel.
    2. Add the pickle liquor.
    3. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
    4. Remove the cooked corned silverside and refrigerate.
    5. Cut a slice of corned beef and place it on a piece of buttered sourdough bread[iii].
    6. Serve with some mustard and a pickled gherkin[iv].

    Photographs

    For lunch, I had tinned corned beef.

    For tea, I had the slowly cooked corned beef silverside.

    Here are the photographs for comparison.

    Tinned corned beef
    Slowly cooked corned beef silverside.
    Corned beef silverside with pickle, mustard, and sourdough bread

    Thoughts on the meal

    I enjoyed the corned silverside. This version tasted better than my recent effort.


    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    [i] Did you know that pickle liquor is a strong acid solution used in metalworking to clean and descale metal surfaces? Pickle juice is the salty, acidic liquid used to preserve pickles—typically made from water, vinegar, salt, and spices. I like (and prefer) the word liquor because it means liquid in which something has been steeped or cooked.

    [ii] Beef silverside is a large, lean cut from the hindquarter of a cow, known for its coarse texture and low in fat content. It’s popular in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand for roasting, corning, or making biltong.

    [iii] Sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread made using wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, giving it a tangy flavour and chewy texture.

    [iv] A gherkin is a small, bumpy cucumber variety that’s typically pickled and enjoyed for its crisp texture and tangy flavour.