The days are getting warmer and longer. Make the most of your summer days with some of our tantalising pork dishes.
Pork Crackling is good for you! It’s official!
Pork fat snagged the top 8 spot on an expert-approved list of the top 100 nutritious foods!
According to the list published by the BBC, pork fat made the top 10 nutritious foods because it is rich in B vitamins and minerals.
Yes pork is high in calories, but scientists argue that because these are UNSATURATED fats, pork fat is a BETTER ALTERNATIVE than lamb or beef dishes.
“Not many people know that”
FINGER-LICKING OSB RIBS
Ingredients (serves 6)
3kg OSB spare ribs
For the Marinade
300ml tomato ketchup
300ml Soy Sauce
125g Clear Honey
5cm Piece of fresh ginger and finely grated
4 Garlic Cloves-crushed
5tbsp Dry Sherry (Optional)
1 tsp Ground Star Anise
1 tbsp Chopped Rosemary
Method
Mix together all marinade ingredients in shallow dish.
Add ribs and turn in mixture to coat evenly. Cover and leave in a cool place or a fridge for up to 24hours.
Put ribs in casserole dish. Pour over half the tomato mixture and enough water to cover ribs completely.
Bring to a simmer and then cook on a medium heat for about 1hr until completely tender.
Remove ribs from the heat and transfer to a non-metallic dish. Allow ribs to cool in the marinade then chill until ready to BBQ. (they can be kept in fridge for up to 24hrs).
When ready to use, carefully scoop off any fat from the top of the mixture and discard. Allow the mixture to come back to room temp.
Drain off marinade and pour into a wide saucepan. Cook it over a medium heat stirring occasionally until it is reduced to a sticky coating ( will take about 30mins).
Set the ribs on the BBQ and cook for 8-10mins each side over a medium heat. Occasionally bast the ribs with the sticky marinade until lightly charred.
You will need napkins and finger bowls for those sticky fingers.
PORK BELLY
Ingredients
1 piece of unrolled OSB belly pork (1-1.5kgs)
salt
garlic salt
cracked black pepper
olive oil
chillies
soy sauce
lime juice
Method
Rub the belly with the salt then wash off. Place on a baking tray.
Grind black crushed pepper on the underside of the pork with a sprinkle of garlic salt
Tear off a sheet of tin foil to cover the pork belly and spread olive oil and place over the
pork-acting as a lid.
Place in the oven for 4hrs at 120c fan.
Remove from the oven, remove tin foil, put to one side, drain any juice.
Turn up the over to 210c fan and return the belly for 10 more mins The crackling will be just
right.
Take the belly out of the oven, transfer to a chopping board and cut into slices.
Sprinkle with sliced chillies, soy sauce and serve with rice or roast veg.
Footnote
marinade sliced chillies in the lime juice and soy sauce for extra “zing”.
PORK GOULASH
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 kg OSB pork leg diced in large chunks
150-200g OSB lardons
1kg onions-chopped-it will melt down
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
250ml good stock (pork or chicken ideal)
200ml dry white wine
tin of chopped tomatoes
1 heaped desert spoon of paprika
tomato puree-small tin or half a tube, salt, sugar or honey to taste
Toppings
chopped spring onion and sour cream/crème fraiche
Method
Preheat oven to 150c fan.
Add a little oil to a heavy base casserole dish and sear pork in small batches to colour. Set aside.
Add lardons and fry hard to get a good colour. Add the onions until golden brown and caramelised.
Add wine to deglaze the pan. Add paprika and stir well. Return the pork to the pan and add the stock and
the tinned tomatoes.
Bring to the simmer, cover and put in the oven. Check and stir after 45mins, then turn down temp to 120c
and cook for 3-4 hours. Check seasoning. Add salt as necessary. Add tomato puree to thicken and taste again.
Add a little sugar or honey to taste if required.
Serve with rice with spring onions and sour cream/crème fraiche.
PULLED PORK
Will serve a small intimate party
Ingredients
1.5kg pork shoulder, collar or leg joint
1 tbsp ground cumin
A pinch of chilli powder
2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
150ml pork stock
150ml orange and mango or similar flavoured juice
80mls (5 tbsp) elderflower cordial (optional)
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker on Low for min 12 hrs
Once cooked the pork should fall apart or be soft enough to ‘pull’ apart.
Serve with rice of your choice or in a bun with burger sauce/mayo and thin chips.
PORK KATSU CURRY
Serves 4 ~ Cooking time 20mins
Ingredients
4 boneless pork loin steaks ( boneless shoulder or leg steaks works just as well).
75g seasoned plain flour.
1 large egg-beaten.
75g panko breadcrumbs.
25g golden breadcrumbs.
Oil for shallow frying.
For the sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil.
1 onion-finely chopped.
2.5cm fresh root ginger-grated.
2 garlic cloves-crushed *
1 tbsp medium curry powder.
2 tbsp plain flour.
250ml chicken stock.
1 tbsp soy sauce.
1 tbsp honey.
METHOD
1. Make the sauce, heat oil in pan and fry onion for a few minutes to soften and colour, add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes.~
2. Add the curry powder and flour and stir for a minute-slowly add the stock stirring all the time to avoid lumps.~
3. Add the honey and soy sauce-boil and simmer for 10 minutes. You may need to add more water if its a bit thick.
4. Thin the porc by loosely wrapping in cling film and lightly bash with a rolling pin.
5. Dip the pork in the flour, then the egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
6. Heat oil in pan and cook the porc steaks over a low medium heat until cooked~approx 8 mins each side.
7. Serve with sticky rice, the katsu sauce and salad or slaw.
8. Devour.
*keep peeled garlic cloves in the freezer. Take out as many as you need. They peel or crush with ease. Flavour comes back when you cook them.
RECIPES WITH THANKS TO THE SUPPORTERS OF THE OXFORD SANDY AND BLACK PIG FOUNDATION CHARITY & PORC BLASUS