VIEW LARGER

Organic Shoulder of Pork Boned and Rolled - Small Joint

Roasting.

This is the technique for larger pieces of meat. Any size joint from a half leg of lamb to a whole rib of beef is suitable. The most tender cuts of meat can be quickly roasted (approx 10 mins per lb). Less tender cuts should be slow roasted (30+ mins per lb).

Preparing meat:

Leave the joint out of the fridge for several hours before cooking. Lightly score the fat on lamb and beef in a criss-cross pattern. Score the skin of pork in thin strips to make crackling. A Stanley knife is most useful and safe for doing this. Lightly oil the meat and put into a suitable sized roasting tray.

Heat oven to Gas Mark 10, 250C, 500F. Put meat into the centre of the oven and cook for 20 – 40 minutes, depending on size until the skin is golden or crackling crisp and blistered, leave for longer if necessary. Baste the meat with the fat in the pan and season evenly with sea salt and freshly milled pepper. Lower the heat to Gas Mk 6, 200C, 400F for tender joints such as rib of beef or leg of lamb, or to Gas Mk 2, 150C, 300F for slow roasting joints such as shoulder of lamb and pork, topside of beef. Baste meat several times during cooking. After cooking time has elapsed, put joint onto an ovenproof tray and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes lightly covered with foil. The larger the joint the longer the resting time required. The juices will set in the meat and the colour will be even throughout, and it will carve without loosing juices or steam.

Sauce or gravy

Pour off the fat from the pan leaving the dark juices and caramelised bits. ‘Deglaze’ the pan with wine, water, beer, cider or water to dissolve bits on a medium heat. Add stock or vegetable juice and cook down. Thicken if desired with granules or with mustard diluted with water or wine.