Pulled Pork :

 

 

Ingredients

·         oil, for greasing

·         2kg/4lb 6½oz pork shoulder

·         1 tbsp chilli flakes

·         1 tbsp whole grain mustard

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         200ml/7¼fl oz white wine vinegar

·         250ml/9fl oz cider

·         3 onions, finely sliced

·         6 cloves garlic, sliced

Preparation method

·         Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3.

·         For the pulled pork, oil a baking tray and place the pork shoulder on top. Mix together the chilli, mustard and salt and freshly ground black pepper, then rub the mixture into the pork shoulder.

·         Pour the vinegar and cider over, then scatter over the onion and garlic.

·         Cover with parchment paper, then wrap in foil and place into the oven to roast for three hours. Remove the parchment and foil, then roast for another hour.

·         'Pull' the pork by sticking a fork in the shoulder and shredding the meat into small pieces with another fork.

·         To serve, pile the pulled pork shoulder on a serving plate with salad or coleslaw next to it. Serve with soft white rolls and barbecue sauce to taste.

 

Recipe for Roast Loin of Pork with Apples

·         Heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Lightly oil a roasting tin and put it in the oven to get hot. Season the skin of the pork with sea salt, then put the joint in the hot tin and roast for 20 minutes.

·         Reduce the heat to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and roast for a further 30 minutes per 500g. Increase the heat to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 and cook for a final 10 minutes to get a really crisp and golden crackling.

·         Take the pork from the tin and rest in a warm place before carving into slices. Meanwhile, drain the excess fat from the roasting tin onto a baking tray. Add the apples to the hot fat, turn to coat all over and roast for 10 minutes. Take out and keep warm.

·         Put the roasting tin directly over a low heat, sprinkle in the flour and mix well. Then slowly add the stock, stirring well and letting it all bubble together until you have a gravy. Season and sieve into a jug.

·         Serve the pork with the roasted apples and gravy.

 

Recipe for Pork Spare Ribs

Preparation

To ensure meltingly tender ribs that are cooked through, simmer in boiling water for 30-45 minutes then drain, cool and marinate overnight. The following day they can be grilled, barbecued or roasted in about 15-20 minutes. Otherwise, to roast or braise from raw, give them about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

·         12 pork spare ribs

For the sauce (if you want to make your own)

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         1 onion, finely chopped

·         2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

·         3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

·         50g/2oz light muscovado sugar

·         4 tbsp malt vinegar

·         3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

·         1 tbsp tomato purée

·         2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

·         1 tsp ground cumin

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1.                             To make the sauce yourself, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Fry for 3-4 minutes, until softened, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

2.                             To save time, you could replace the above with a ready-made BBQ mix, and simply follow the instructions.

3.                             Place the ribs on the barbecue and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Brush the ribs liberally with the barbecue sauce every few minutes, until they have a thick, sticky coating, and serve.

For an interesting menu suggestion, why not try our recipe for Maize Meal

This recipe needs just two ingredients – maize meal and water.  There are many options for maize meal once it is cooked: you can mix in fresh herbs and cheeses, bake with vegetables, or fry it.

Ingredients

Serves: 3

·                                 750ml (1 pint 5 oz) water

·                                 120g (4 oz)  maize meal

Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in the maize meal, steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until maize meal has thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes. Pour maize meal onto a cutting board or tray, and let it stand for a few minutes before serving.

To make this more interesting, once the maize meal is cooked you can add fresh herbs, cheeses such as parmesan or even some grated cheddar, small slivers of cooked meat , or cooked vegetables; the choice is yours.  This can be cut into cubes or shapes and grilled, or fried.  Try topping with bacon or a poached egg for a simple supper, or with a medley of roast vegetables for a delicious vegetarian treat!