Festal pork

This year, after whiteboarding the matter, we decided to replace the Christmas chicken (turkeys having been abandoned some years ago now) with cold Christmas pork.

Collected 6lbs 8oz of rolled shoulder of pork from Manor Green Road on the Thursday before Christmas, with the idea being to cook it a bit later that same day. I had been a touch late with my order, but he managed to fit me in.

First task was to pore over the precedents.

Decided to skip the large piece taken in the summer, a bit overcooked to my mind, although others seemed to like it, as non-comparable.

The pork noticed on 16th June 2021 weighed in at 5lbs 6oz and was done for 3 hours 15 minutes at 160°C. Notice says well done.

The pork noticed on 27th February 2021 weighed in at 4lbs 14.5oz and said to have been cooked for the same time, at the same temperature.

The pork noticed on 23rd November 2020 weighed in at 4lbs 6oz and was done for 2 hours 45 minutes. Rested for 15 minutes in oven, turned off.

On this occasion we had a larger piece, short and fat rather than long and thin. Salted the skin. Into the oven at 15:30 at 160°C. For three and a half hours in the first instance. At this point used the thermometer - not something I usually bother with, rather trusting to eye - which said something over 70C. Gave it another ten minutes after which it registered something over 80C. Which says something about how much these readings can vary as much as anything else. Oven turned off, door slightly open but pork left inside.

Gravy made by roux'ing up most the fat with some flour and pounded black pepper. Rinsing out the roasting dish with boiling water to collect some of the goo. Stirred that into the roux. Sieved in some left over mashed potato. Stirred the whole lot up, taking care not to catch the bottom of the pan. This did rather well. Some of it taken with vegetables, some of it taken with white bread, especially made for the occasion.

The pork did very well cold with salad on Christmas Eve, with what was left after four adults and two children had had a go snapped above. Followed by a spot of the Dundee cake already noticed at reference 2. All taken with a spot of white, I forget which.

On Christmas Day the menu was fairly traditional, with the exception of the cold pork replacing the hot chicken. Including both stuffing (snapped above before the off, topped with nicotine enhanced streaky bacon from Manor Green Road) and Brussels sprouts.

Golden anniversary wine from the Italian grocer by Borough Tube, already noticed.

Plated up.

There had been some discussion about the appropriate sized Christmas pudding, but eventually decided that since a full sized one didn't last more the three or four days, no need quite yet to move to a smaller one. Boiled up by BH maybe a month or so beforehand, with a more modest boiling on the day. Made with real suet which BH felt gave a better flavour than the fake sort. Served, as is proper in our family, with two sorts of sauce: custard sauce (right) and syllabub (left), probably both from the Montreal of most of my mother's childhood. Don't seem to get either very often over here.

Partially consumed.

What with one thing and another, Scrabble postponed for another day.

The pork did two more days cold, with boiled vegetables. Two more days after that served in a white sauce with some mushrooms and some macaroni. Almost a pasta bake. With the manufacture of the white sauce involving cooking some chopped onion in the butter before adding the flour. Small amount of milk, mostly water.

The last of the gravy was served hot, poured over thick slices of white bread as a tea-time savoury dish.

All very satisfactory. What will the whiteboard say next year?

References

Reference 1: https://www.masterbutchersepsom.co.uk/.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/12/let-them-eat-cake.html.