On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 20:31:21 -0500, " BOB" > wrote:

>James Shugg wrote:
>> I have been given a large leg of pork on the bone. It weights 7.1kg
>> (nearly 16 pounds). I have successfully roasted much smaller pieces of
>> pork for 35 mins to the pound at 190 dec C after initially searing the
>> meat for a few minutes on each side.
>>
>> Would that cooking time formula work for the larger leg? 9.5 hours
>> sounds like a very long time in the oven. I want it cooked through but
>> not overdone.
>>
>> Any advice/suggestions?
>>
>> Many thanx
>>
>> James
>
>I don't have my °C to °F calculator handy right now, but that 190° C sounds
>pretty high for a pork leg (shoulder?).
>
>I just finished barbecuing two 8 pound pork butts (the upper part of the
>shoulder) at about 225° F for about 18 hours to an internal temperature of
>195° F. in order to break down the collogen and make the pork "pullable".
>
>In *my* experience, if you cook a pork leg/shoulder at the higher
>temperature for a shorter period of time, you will have a really tough and
>fatty piece of meat.
>
Depends on the pig. I am sure you are right for modern factory pork.

But, I did a pork butt just as James describes and it was wonderful. I
got it from a farmer who grows a few pigs along with other things in
central New York.

I heated a dry cast iron skillet reall hot on the stove and heated the
oven to 400F. I rubbed sat in the butt and seared in the pan to brown
the outside, threw the pan in the oven. When a testing thermometer
looked good, I pulled it out.

Since then I haven't bought pork from anyone else, although I have
heard good things about Niman Ranch meat.




Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a


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