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Pork can be bought all year round due to modern refrigeration. It is particularly
good value during the summer. All joints can be roasted and the individual
cuts
from them grilled or fried. In addition, the forequarter cuts can be used
for casseroles, stews and pies. The lean part of pork should be pale pink,
moist and slightly
marbled with fat. There should be a good outer layer of
firm,
white fat with a
thin, elastic skin. Small pinkish bones denote a young
animal. If the joint is
to be roasted either get the butcher to
score the rind or use a sharp knife.
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Pork cuts and cooking methods |
| Neck end (spare rib and blade bone) is a large, economical
roastingjoint, particularly good when boned, stuffed and rolled.
Often divided into blade and spare rib. These two smaller cuts
can also be roasted, braised or stewed. Spare rib pork makes
the best filling for pies. Spare rib chops are suitable
for braising, grilling or frying. |
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| Hand and spring is a large roasting joint, often divided into the smaller cuts, hand and shank. As well as being suitable for
roasting, hand and shank can be used for casseroles and stews. |
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| Belly is a long, thin cut with streaks of fat and lean meat. Stuffed thick end of belly makes an economical roast. Because belly is sometimes rather fatty, it is better used sliced for grilling and frying, rather than for braising and stewing. |
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| Spare ribs (American) are from the belly and are removed in one piece, leaving the meat between the rib bones. Chinese spare ribs are bones with a very small amount of meat on them. They are usually barbecued or used in Chinese dishes. Recipe |
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| Leg can be cut into four or more succulent and popular roasting joints, often divided into fillet end and knuckle end. The fillet end (the top of the leg) is the prime roasting joint, which can be boned and stuffed. It is sometimes sliced into steaks for grilling and frying. The feet (trotters) are usually salted and boiled or used to make brawn. |
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| Loin is a popular roast on the bone or boned, stuffed and rolled. Often
divided into loin chops (with or without kidney) and large, meaty chump chops, both of which are excellent for grilling, frying or roasting. Produces good crackling. |
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| Tenderloin is a tender, lean cut found underneath the backbone of the loin, in the same position as beef fillet. It is sometimes called pork fillet, not to be confused with the fillet end of the leg. Most often served sliced or cubed for frying, or coated with a sauce. Can be stuffed and rolled for roasting. Recipe |
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| Crackling - For good crackling, score the rind deeply and evenly. Brush the cut surface with oil and rub salt into the scoring. Place the joint, with the rind uppermost, in a roasting tin. Do not baste the pork during cooking. Alternatively, the rind can be removed before cooking, treated in the same way, and roasted separately until crisp and golden. |
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Accompaniments: Apple, gooseberry or cranberry sauce with sage and onion stuffing when appropriate. Try baked or fried apples or redcurrant jelly as an alternative.
Click here to view image of pork cuts.
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Recipes
Cranberry pork tenderloin (Serves 4) |
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675 g pork tenderloin
5 ml salt
5 ml pepper
30 ml vegetable oil
250 ml cranberries
125 ml honey
1 ml cloves
1 ml nutmeg
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Method
- Cut pork tenderloin into 5 cm thick slices. Place pork between two pieces of plastic wrap. Gently flatten with a small rolling pin.
- Season pork with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown pork slices. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
- Add remaining ingredients to skillet. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until cranberries are soft. Return pork to skillet. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve hot with vegetables and rice or potatoes.
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Pork chops with glazed onions (Serves 4) |
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50 ml all-purpose flour
5 ml salt
2 ml white pepper
4 center cut pork chops
45 ml olive oil
2 medium red onions, sliced
500 ml whole, stewed tomatoes, undrained
250 ml red wine
250 ml sweet pickled onions, drained
15 ml cider vinegar
2 ml fresh thyme, chopped
salt and black pepper
15 ml brown sugar Spicy ground beef |
Method
- Preheat oven to 170°C. In a medium bowl, combine flour with salt and pepper.
- Dredge pork chops with seasoned flour. In a heavy skillet, heat 30 ml oil
over medium heat. Cook pork chops in skillet until browned on both sides.
- Using the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Sauté onions for 5 minutes, until soft. In a medium bowl, crush tomatoes and their juice with a fork.
- Add tomatoes and wine to skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add pickled
onions and vinegar. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Stir in thyme and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pork
chops. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and bake for 1 hour, until pork
chops are tender. Serve hot.
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Roasted Souchong sparerib (Serves 4) |
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40 ml Lapsang Souchong tea leaves
500 ml boiling water
75 ml dark soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 whole cloves
1 star anise pod
50 ml brown sugar
1.4 kg lean pork spareribs, cut between ribs
50 ml butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced |
Method
- Place tea leaves in a medium bowl. Pour water over tea leaves and steep
for 5 minutes. Strain tea into a large bowl. Stir in soy sauce, garlic, cloves,
anise and 30 ml brown sugar. Allow marinade to cool.
- Place ribs in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Drain ribs and rinse under warm water. Place ribs in tea marinade, tossing
to
coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning ribs frequently.
Heat oven to 175ºC.
- Remove ribs from marinade and place on a baking sheet. Brush ribs with
marinade. Bake for 40-45 minutes, basting frequently until ribs are tender.
- In a heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions for 5
minutes until translucent. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over onions.
Increase heat to medium-high. Cook onions, stirring constantly, until they
are deep brown.
- Add 150 ml marinade to onions. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 4 minutes.
Transfer onion mixture to a food processor. Purée sauce until smooth.
- Remove ribs from oven and brush with sauce. Bake ribs for an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs accompanied by remaining sauce.
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Baking Ingredients 
