Episode #15: We Ate
30kg Of Pork Leg

Legs make up a third of a pig’s weight – and with 30kg to get through James and Sam embark on their most gluttonous culinary adventure yet. Recipes galore in this bumper episode.

Pea and Ham Hock soup

Inspired by BBC Good Food Pea & Ham soup and Dry Cured & Smoked Ham Hock from the Ginger Pig Farm House Cook Book

Ingredients

To make the cured ham:

• 1 ham hock (about 1kg)
• 50g Prague Powder no. 1 curing salt
• 25g soft dark brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns, crushed

For the soup:

• knob of butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 1l ham or pork stock (or substitute with chicken stock)
• 500g frozen petit pois
• 300g smoked and flaked ham hock

Method

• To make the cured ham, combine all the cure ingredients in a large plastic container. Add the hock and rub vigorously in to the meat, filling in all the cracks and crevices. Place in the fridge for 7 days, turning once a day, draining off any excess liquid.
• When ready, rinse off any remaining curing salt then hang in the fridge for a further day. Place in smoker at 95c and smoke for around two hours until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 65c.
• To make the soup, put the knob of butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until foaming. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
• Add the potatoes to the saucepan and coat with the oniony butter. Then add the pork stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes have softened.
• Add the frozen petis pois to the saucepan and cook for a few minutes. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
• Flake a good handful of the ham hock meat and place in a serving bowl. Ladel the soup on top, then add a few more flakes of ham on top of the soup for dramatic effect.
• Eat with crusty bread.

Spiced Pork, Apricot
& Sweet Potato Tagine

Inspired by Spiced Pork, Apricot & Sweet Potato Tagine from Taste.co.au

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 200g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 400g can tomatoes
• 350ml pork or chicken stock
• 100g dried apricots
• 400g diced pork leg
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Small handful fresh coriander
• Toasted flaked almonds

Method

• Heat the oil in a frying pan to medium high. Add the diced pork and sear all over until brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Reduce the pan temperature to medium-low heat. Add the onion, stirring for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the sweet potato for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, coriander, chilli, cumin, turmeric and fennel and cook, stirring for a further minute until aromatic.
• Add the pork back in to the pan along with the tomatoes, stock and apricots. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender.
• Add the maple syrup. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until warmed through and thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve with couscous, sprinkled with coriander leaves and toasted almonds.

Beer Braised Ham Hock with Potatoes, Apples and Caraway

Inspired by Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles with Potatoes, Apples and Caraway by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 ham hocks, rind scored
• 2 onions
• 2 eating apples (cored and quartered)
• 4 baking potatoes cut into quarters lengthwise
• 500ml dark beer (not stout)
• 500ml boiling water

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200c. Put the salt and caraway seeds into a bowl, mince or grate in the garlic, mix everything together and rub the pork hocks with this mixture, getting well into the slits in the scored rind.
• Peel the onions, slice into rounds and layer in a roasting tin. Sit the hocks on top of the onions place in the oven for half an hour.
• Take the tin out of the oven and add the apples and potatoes. Pour half the beer over the hocks so they are basted as the liquid pours into the tin. Put back in the oven and reduce temperature to 150c. Cook for a further 2 hours.
• Turn the oven up again to 200c, baste hocks with the rest of the beer, place back in the over for another 30 minutes.
• Take the tin out of the oven and transfer the apples and potatoes to a warmed dish. Lift the hocks onto a carving board, leaving the onion and juices in the tin.
• Now put the tin on the hob over a medium heat and add 500ml boiling water, stirring to de-glaze the pan to make a gravy.
• Take the crackling off the pork and break into pieces, pull apart or carve the meat and serve with the apples, potatoes, gravy and the fiercest mustard you can find.

Malaysian Marmite Glazed Pork

Inspired by Marmite Pork by HungerHunger Blog

Ingredients

• 500g diced pork leg
• 1 egg white
• pinch white pepper
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp marmite
• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 100g cornflour
• Oil for deep frying
• Thinly sliced spring onion and red chilli for garnish

Method

• Combine the egg white, white pepper, light soy sauce and salt in a large bowl. Add the pork and marinade for at least an hour.
• Remove the pork from the marinade one piece at a time. Dredge in the cornflour then in a wok deep fry in the oil until golden (about 5 minutes). Drain on kitchen towel.
• Once all the pork has been cooked, safely pour the hot oil in another container, leaving about 1 tbsp of oil in the wok. Place the wok back over the heat.
• Add the Marmite, Worcester sauce, ketchup, maple syrup and dark soy sauce to the wok. Bring to a boil. If the mixture is looking a little thick, add up to 100ml of water.
• Add the pork to the sauce and toss to coat. Pour on to a serving platter and scatter over the spring onion and rec chill. Serve with rice.