Shoulder

The hard-working shoulder cut, sometimes known as spare rib roast or pork butt, is a very versatile meat. Slow roasted until it’s falling off the bone, or it can be minced and diced and used in stews, stir fries and more. But nothing beats it cooked low and slow with plenty of cider. Oil lightly, season well, and pop it into a large roasting pan with chopped vegetables and a decent cider. Double wrap with foil, and then bake it in the oven at 150C, 130C fan, gas mark 2, for 4 – 5 hours. Serve with crispy hasselback potatoes and lots of buttered savoy cabbage, and of course, a glass of the old apple juice.

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Leg

Pork leg is a large, lean cut that is often roasted whole. As it’s low in fat, it’s best not to slow roast with leg, but it’s great for steaks, or escalopes. We also use leg for our prime diced pork, as well as for gammons, which we offer both smoked and green.

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Belly

Belly pork is an absolute favourite. It’s very fatty, which means means that with the right cooking it will be creamy, tender, and full of flavour. Whether that’s as a value for money roast, or cut into spare ribs, we’ll prepare your belly to ensure you get the very best out of it.

To roast belly, lay it out in a generous sized pan, ideally on a stand or trivet, and follow the main roasting guide for pork, but cook at an initial 180C, 160C fan, gas mark 4 for around 2 hours 15 minutes. Then whack the temperature up to 200C, 180C fan, gas mark 6 for a final 35 minutes, until the crackling is golden and crispy.

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Sausages

We use only the finest cuts for our selection of fresh pork sausages, which we prepare by hand here in the shop. Whether you’re looking for a good old traditional banger, chipolatas, or something a bit more spicy such as our Cumberland, ginger and leek, or caramelised red onion, our sausages are perfect for your full English, casseroles or more. We can also offer gluten free, just ask in shop.

Loin

Roast pork loin is the absolute classic, delicious with apple sauce and crispy, crunchy crackling for your Sunday roast. It can be cooked on the bone, or deboned and stuffed. Just ask us in store and we’ll be more than happy to prepare it just the way you like it.

Best Roast Pork with Perfect Crackling

• Of course, you should make sure that the skin has been well scored before roasting, something we’ll always make sure of.
• If you can, prepare the joint the day before roasting. Set on a stand or trivet, and pour over boiling water to open the pores. Pat dry with kitchen towel, and brush over the skin liberally with oil, then sprinkle with fine sea salt. Wrap in film, then rest in the fridge over night.
• Bring the joint out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking, to allow it to come up to room temperature.
• Wipe off the salt with kitchen towel. Make a rough dressing using 3/4 oil and 1/4 lemon juice or vinegar, and brush liberally all over. Season well.
• For loin, shoulder, or leg, set the oven to 220C, 200C fan, gas mark 7. Calculate cooking time at 35 minutes per 500g, 31 minutes per 1b, plus 35 minutes. Place on a stand over a bed of roughly chopped root vegetables and onions, and cook for 30 minutes. Then reduce to 180C, 160C fan, gas mark 4 for the remaining time.
• When cooked, take out the joint, and using a sharp knife cut under the skin to remove the crackling as one whole piece. Wrap the meat and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Whilst it rests, you can prepare the gravy. De-glaze the pan using cider, then sprinkle over flour, whisking all the while as you add a good quality stock. Strain, and bring back to the heat until ready to serve. You can always pop the crackling under the grill quickly to serve if needed.