{"id":110934,"date":"2015-06-16T04:31:49","date_gmt":"2015-06-15T18:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=110934"},"modified":"2015-06-16T04:32:26","modified_gmt":"2015-06-15T18:32:26","slug":"cooking-with-aussie-pork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/06\/16\/cooking-with-aussie-pork\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking With Aussie Pork"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>June 15, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Jason Ford<\/strong>
\nFord on Food<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

I live in one of the biggest pork producing regions of Australia, so I\u2019ll admit to being a little biased on the subject of pork.<\/p>\n

However, as an apprentice chef in the 1980\u2019s, I didn\u2019t have much experience with pork cookery because it wasn\u2019t all that popular with the typical Aussie.<\/p>\n

Which is amazing when you consider that pigs are one of the earliest animals farmed for meat consumption.<\/p>\n

Amazingly, pigs have been domesticated in China for approximately 5000 years.<\/p>\n

And thankfully, things have changed. <\/p>\n

Pork is now one of Australia\u2019s most popular meats, and I have become a huge fan of pork since learning more about it from local farmers, butchers and pork processors.<\/p>\n

In the past three decades, major innovations have been developed in pig farming, breeding and production.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s domestic and booming export market is second-to-none, and our strict quarantine and inspection systems have ensured a clean and disease free pork industry – especially the diseases that have in the past almost decimated the pork industries of other countries.<\/p>\n

It would be safe to argue that Australian pork is now amongst the highest quality in the world.<\/p>\n

And with developments in grain-feeding and standardised cutting and trimming techniques, domestic pork is also 50 per cent leaner than it was thirty years ago.<\/p>\n

In fact – contrary to popular misconceptions – modern pork cuts such as butterfly steaks are so lean and tender that they can be cooked in very much the same way you would cook beef. <\/p>\n

You could actually chose to eat it medium-rare, and it would be the most succulent and juicy pork you\u2019d ever eaten.<\/p>\n

When buying pork, look for pale pink flesh and firm white fat that is not wet or waxy in appearance.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How To Roast A Pork Leg<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Pork leg is best for roasting. Most pork legs will feed a large family gathering.<\/p>\n

To make the leg easier to carve, have your butcher remove any backbone.<\/p>\n

Roast your pork leg at 180o<\/sup>C for 25 to 30 minutes per every 500g.<\/p>\n

The most popular part of eating roast pork is the crackling; and unfortunately there is never enough (you\u2019ll just have to fight over it). <\/p>\n

For the best crackling, remove the skin from the leg, score it, and rub it with salt and a little white vinegar.
\nThen roast the crackling separately, beside the leg.<\/p>\n

Serve with apple sauce, gravy and roasted veggies.<\/p>\n