With Christmas nearly here, many of us over the coming weeks will be cooking pigmeat products over the festive season whether that is pork, ham, bacon, sausage or a combination of all of the above. We approached the Topigs Norsvin Meat Group for their tips on getting great tasting products on the table.
Christmas Hams are popular in many countries how do they differ from hams at other times of the year?
Hams are typically cooked with a sweet covering to offset the saltiness from the curing so things like honey, treacle, maple syrup or even cola can be used (try dropping some rum into the cola for a festive treat). Christmas Hams then often have seasonal spices and fruits like clove, cinnamon, cranberry and orange and to give it a more festive flavour.
For those cooking a pork loin on Christmas day do you have any tips?
The most important thing is to make sure you have a meat thermometer close to hand. If you haven’t got a meat thermometer go out and buy one now, you won’t regret it. You really don’t want to overcook the loin as this will leave it dry and tasteless. Aim to remove the loin from the heat at an internal temperature of 63oc or 145oF and then let it rest before you start carving and serving. The temperature will continue to rise for a short time but you should get tender, juicy pork.
For those with large pieces of shoulder or belly does the advice differ?
These cuts are often best cooked slow and low. That is in a cooler oven (120oc or 248oF for a fan oven) for a much longer period of time (do not be tempted to rush it). We are wanting the temperature to render (melt) the fat within the meat for juicy, tasty pork. This time we are looking for a much higher meat thermometer reading of 91oc or 195oF. The pork will barely need carving but instead pull apart.
How do we get the crispy crackling skin over our pork?
First dry the skin before cooking and then oil and season. The most important thing is not to cover the skin. It often benefits from turning the oven up as high as possible at the end the cooking process to get the perfect crackling be careful not to overcook the meat. It may be better to simply remove the skin and put in a hot oven rather than ruining the meat. If all else fails a quick blast in a microwave on full power at the end can rescue the process but keep an eye on it, we don’t want kitchen fires on Christmas day.
What other pork products are worth considering over Christmas?
If having friends over for a few drinks try plate of “devils on horsebacks”. Traditionally these are dates, often stuff with a nut or cheese and wrapped in bacon, prosciutto or pancetta and served hot straight out of the oven. Other variations are “angels on horsebacks” (oysters wrapped with bacon) or pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped with bacon) which are also served with the main meal on Christmas Day in some countries.
So lots of things wrapped in bacon?
Yes indeed lots of foods benefit from being wrapped in belly bacon from cheeses like halloumi, shrimps, poultry breasts to larger roasts like the pork loin, the bacon helps protect the more delicate foods from drying out whilst basting the products and adding flavour (salty, smoky, sweet etc.) from the fats.
And any extra final tips for a tasty pork filled Christmas?
Don’t forget that sometimes the simple things can be the best. Having guests round for a drink and putting out a dried Serrano ham that you can pick up in the shops around Christmas creates a great talking point, activity and provides a great accompaniment to your wine or beer.
Merry Christmas.
