Porky Problem

[VeryNaughtyAuntyLesley]

We live in Portugal in the winter, and they are big pork eaters, huge in fact. It is really great value, we love pork and the joints look really tasty laid out on the market slab.

Now it may be because it is reared differently than the UK (happy piggies playing in the mud maybe?) but what ever I have tried to make it ends up dried and tough. I am not a bad cook and have tried lots of different methods but although they all are OK to eat they don’t quite cut the mustard. By the way I have tried a couple of mustard recipes!
Any ideas from you domestic goddesses.

PS Chickens are also small and stringer (sic) but I am coping by buying more and making soup, a lot of soup, it does get chilly in the winter, honest

Try soaking in a mix of wine and nice vinegar plus a glut of good oil) for at least a day before you cook it low and slow. I had wild boar shot on a Catalan hill cooked like that once and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Add whatever herbs/flavourings/spices you like to the marinade.

Thanks Janet, I have just put diced pork in a marinade of; big glass of red (left from last night, I don’t know how that happened), cider and balsamic vinegar along with bay leaves and black peppercorn. Will be cooking it tomorrow and will keep you posted. Cheers

You can do pulled porked in a slow cooker

Apple juice mustard chili BBQ sauce and cook for 12 hours in slow

Pull apart and leave until you are ready to eat

Do it overnight or put in the fridge to soak and cook all day

Let us know how you get on!