Pork roast for Christmas, what should I get
October 5, 2020 9:16 AM Subscribe
My other half and I are staying home and having a two person Christmas. The local heritage pig farmer can get me whatever cut of happy free range gloriously delicious pig I want. What cut do I want for my Christmas dinner?
I also came to suggest porchetta. All-belly is a good suggestion for two. Be sure that they keep the skin on the belly; you may have to singe off some hairs yourself depending on how thorough the butcher is.
posted by gauche at 9:21 AM on October 5, 2020
posted by gauche at 9:21 AM on October 5, 2020
Stinco (the full shank/foreleg) is hard to get from regular butchers, we're usually obliged to make due with the hock.
e.g.
Bruce Aidells' Stinco (Braised and Roasted Pork Shanks)
Braised Pork Shank (Stinco di Maiale)
Stinco di maiale al forno con patate (Oven-Roasted Pork Hock and Potatoes)
One of the more memorable dishes I had in Italy. It makes for a good holiday centerpiece.
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:25 AM on October 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
e.g.
Bruce Aidells' Stinco (Braised and Roasted Pork Shanks)
Braised Pork Shank (Stinco di Maiale)
Stinco di maiale al forno con patate (Oven-Roasted Pork Hock and Potatoes)
One of the more memorable dishes I had in Italy. It makes for a good holiday centerpiece.
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:25 AM on October 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
For 2 people I might go with a tenderloin. Couldn't be easier to cook (especially nice grilled), and won't be gunked up with injected "brine" like most of the the ones you see in the store. If you want leftovers for days, a crown roast is dramatic.
posted by libraryhead at 10:34 AM on October 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by libraryhead at 10:34 AM on October 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
Another vote for Porchetta. We usually do our Porchetta over the grill, outdoors. I bought an electric turning thing just for that one time of the year. It's perhaps a bit big for just two, depending on your sides, but the leftover-porchetta-sandwiches are delicious. Our sides are pickled red cabbage, kale salad with apples and walnuts and cranberries, potatoes and gravy. The red cabbage is great in a Porchetta sandwich the next couple of days, too.
(We also roast a goose, in the oven. We are not two people).
posted by mumimor at 11:37 AM on October 5, 2020
(We also roast a goose, in the oven. We are not two people).
posted by mumimor at 11:37 AM on October 5, 2020
What do you like and how much effort are you willing to put in?
(This is probably way more info than you actually care about, but I'm bored so here goes.) What you can reasonably ask for will depend on how the butcher normally receives the slaughtered hog, but at the most common way is that the hog will arrive dead, split in half nose to tail, and gutted. The butcher will then "quarter" each half, sectioning each into a (half) head, shoulder, loin, and ham "primals." (If the butcher doesn't have refrigeration space for a half, then the slaughterhouse can quarter the sides.)
The head is removed just aft of the base of the skull. The only cuts that really come off of one would be cheek/jowl (usually for making guanciale, but you can braise it nicely), tongue, and the ears. As a whole, the head is great barbecued or turned into something like headcheese.
The shoulder primal includes the neck, the foreleg, and the front bit of the torso (my understanding is it's a little bit of a preference where to make the quartering cut, but I usually cut just aft of the first three ribs). This is where you get picnic shoulder, Boston butt, bone-in shoulder roasts, plus a hock and trotter. Any of this is excellent for low-and-slow because there's lots of connective tissue that will melt away and allow the meat to shred.
The loin primal starts at that shoulder cut - basically the whole ribcage back to around where the pelvic bones start (known as the aitch bone). Inside of the ribcage is where you get the tenderloin; it's incredibly lean but also not worked much which is why it's so tender. The top of the ribs around the spine are turned into either (bone-in) pork chops or loin roast depending on what you want; further down the spine where the ribs end is where you're more likely to get boneless chops, "sirloin roasts" or similar. The belly is cut from here at the bottom of the ribcage, and the ribs are cut off the spine and trimmed to preference.
The ham is the rear leg up to the aitch bone. There's another hock and trotter attached. The ham does not really fall apart the way the shoulder does, so it's good for roasting and slicing. A whole ham could weigh up to 20 lbs and can be cured like a prosciutto, cut along the various membranes into roasts, or sliced in to ham steak (with a little disc of bone in the middle).
Alright, anatomy lesson over. Things I like to do with pork for special occasions:
-Crown roast. This is basically taking the pork chops and rib bones as one large unit, wrapping it around and tying it into a "crown" shape, and then roasting it. Traditionally served with something like a rice stuffing in the middle. Put the little paper hats on the rib ends if you're feeling extra fancy.
-Standing rib roast. More frequently done with beef, but works equally well with pork. This is essentially a loin roast with the bone still attached, like a large segment of pork chops that have not been sliced apart.
-Extra thick pork chops. A well-fed hog and a good butcher mean you can get chops like 1.5-2 inches thick with some seriously good fat on them. Sous vide or some time in the oven followed by a hard sear with a mustard pan sauce.
-Cured meats. This takes time and one special ingredient but the results are excellent. I love curing tenderloins. This method is foolproof. If you like cured hams, you could do this with a few ham steaks as well.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:44 AM on October 5, 2020 [5 favorites]
(This is probably way more info than you actually care about, but I'm bored so here goes.) What you can reasonably ask for will depend on how the butcher normally receives the slaughtered hog, but at the most common way is that the hog will arrive dead, split in half nose to tail, and gutted. The butcher will then "quarter" each half, sectioning each into a (half) head, shoulder, loin, and ham "primals." (If the butcher doesn't have refrigeration space for a half, then the slaughterhouse can quarter the sides.)
The head is removed just aft of the base of the skull. The only cuts that really come off of one would be cheek/jowl (usually for making guanciale, but you can braise it nicely), tongue, and the ears. As a whole, the head is great barbecued or turned into something like headcheese.
The shoulder primal includes the neck, the foreleg, and the front bit of the torso (my understanding is it's a little bit of a preference where to make the quartering cut, but I usually cut just aft of the first three ribs). This is where you get picnic shoulder, Boston butt, bone-in shoulder roasts, plus a hock and trotter. Any of this is excellent for low-and-slow because there's lots of connective tissue that will melt away and allow the meat to shred.
The loin primal starts at that shoulder cut - basically the whole ribcage back to around where the pelvic bones start (known as the aitch bone). Inside of the ribcage is where you get the tenderloin; it's incredibly lean but also not worked much which is why it's so tender. The top of the ribs around the spine are turned into either (bone-in) pork chops or loin roast depending on what you want; further down the spine where the ribs end is where you're more likely to get boneless chops, "sirloin roasts" or similar. The belly is cut from here at the bottom of the ribcage, and the ribs are cut off the spine and trimmed to preference.
The ham is the rear leg up to the aitch bone. There's another hock and trotter attached. The ham does not really fall apart the way the shoulder does, so it's good for roasting and slicing. A whole ham could weigh up to 20 lbs and can be cured like a prosciutto, cut along the various membranes into roasts, or sliced in to ham steak (with a little disc of bone in the middle).
Alright, anatomy lesson over. Things I like to do with pork for special occasions:
-Crown roast. This is basically taking the pork chops and rib bones as one large unit, wrapping it around and tying it into a "crown" shape, and then roasting it. Traditionally served with something like a rice stuffing in the middle. Put the little paper hats on the rib ends if you're feeling extra fancy.
-Standing rib roast. More frequently done with beef, but works equally well with pork. This is essentially a loin roast with the bone still attached, like a large segment of pork chops that have not been sliced apart.
-Extra thick pork chops. A well-fed hog and a good butcher mean you can get chops like 1.5-2 inches thick with some seriously good fat on them. Sous vide or some time in the oven followed by a hard sear with a mustard pan sauce.
-Cured meats. This takes time and one special ingredient but the results are excellent. I love curing tenderloins. This method is foolproof. If you like cured hams, you could do this with a few ham steaks as well.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:44 AM on October 5, 2020 [5 favorites]
It's not from a happy free-range pig, but if you want to go easy, Porkette is cool, tasty, and kind of esoteric (depending on where you live). You could also smoke your own (pork) butt!
I also see there's a such thing as pork brisket.
posted by rhizome at 12:34 PM on October 5, 2020
I also see there's a such thing as pork brisket.
posted by rhizome at 12:34 PM on October 5, 2020
For 2 people I might go with a tenderloin.
Wrap it in bacon. Tenderloin needs the extra flavor.
posted by Splunge at 1:04 PM on October 5, 2020
Wrap it in bacon. Tenderloin needs the extra flavor.
posted by Splunge at 1:04 PM on October 5, 2020
The recipe is originally from NYT, but I made this "porchetta" yesterday and it was both delicious and easy. (I used a boneless shoulder roast, about 4lbs, for two people and we have enough for lunch leftovers).
posted by sm1tten at 5:03 PM on October 5, 2020
posted by sm1tten at 5:03 PM on October 5, 2020
I do this for thanksgiving, but it could work for Christmas: I smoke a pork shoulder to about 80-82C (just short of 180f). For pretty much any other cut, that’d be ridiculously overcooked. For shoulder, with all of its fat and connective tissue, it’s perfect for getting everything all melty and unctuous. On the other hand, that temp is pretty far shy of pulled pork, and still gives you nice slices of pork roast.
I usually go with a rub based off of the marinade for the pork for Cubano sandwiches:
Cumin, cocoa powder, onion powder, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, white pepper, and a smidge each of cayenne pepper and coriander powder.
Mix all the spices together, liberally season the roast, wrap tightly with plastic wrap overnight (in a pan to catch any liquids), I wrap, pat dry, let rest in the fridge on a wire rack while you get your smoker going. Smoke at 225f for a long damn time (you’re going to want a meat thermometer). I like to use cherry or apple to let the sweetness add to the cocoa. When the meat reaches 60-65c, wrap it in foil to get it up to the finished temp. Once you fool it, you can crank the temp a bit, up to 250~275f. Let it rest, slice it, and bask in the adoration of your friends and family.
Sorry for the mix of Celsius and Fahrenheit.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:22 AM on October 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
I usually go with a rub based off of the marinade for the pork for Cubano sandwiches:
Cumin, cocoa powder, onion powder, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, white pepper, and a smidge each of cayenne pepper and coriander powder.
Mix all the spices together, liberally season the roast, wrap tightly with plastic wrap overnight (in a pan to catch any liquids), I wrap, pat dry, let rest in the fridge on a wire rack while you get your smoker going. Smoke at 225f for a long damn time (you’re going to want a meat thermometer). I like to use cherry or apple to let the sweetness add to the cocoa. When the meat reaches 60-65c, wrap it in foil to get it up to the finished temp. Once you fool it, you can crank the temp a bit, up to 250~275f. Let it rest, slice it, and bask in the adoration of your friends and family.
Sorry for the mix of Celsius and Fahrenheit.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:22 AM on October 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
We regularly get pork tenderloin, then use the marinade in the Peruvian Chicken recipe on Once Upon a Chef. We also make the green cilantro sauce and serve with rice. Peruvian Pork on the grill is divine!
posted by wwartorff at 6:53 PM on October 6, 2020
posted by wwartorff at 6:53 PM on October 6, 2020
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posted by supercres at 9:19 AM on October 5, 2020 [3 favorites]