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

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.

BOB

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 have cooked fresh hams even larger than that in the past. I cook them with a
thermometer and at lower temperatures than the 375 degrees F (178 degrees C)
you are using. More like 325 to 350. I would guess it should take around 7.5
hours at 350 (178 C). It varies with how lean it is. The leaner the faster.

I am cooking two shoulders, one is 8.5 pounds the other is 9.8 pounds for
tomorrow's Christmas Eve dinner and will start at around 12 M or 1 PM for
dinner at around 7 PM. I prefer to serve pork after about an hour after it has
gotten to 175 F. 2/3 of the fun in eating roast pork in the informal setting
of a Christmas Eve is picking off pieces as they are carved and sharing the
crackling.

How are you seasoning it? The traditional roast pork where I come from is
marinated in a mix of sour orange (or lime) juice, oregano, cumin, lots of
garlic, salt and pepper. Recipe on request and is good for lots of things
although the original recipe is for pork. I have used it on turkey and
chicken. It is specially good on turkey.

Felices Pascuas, everyone!

Bert

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


"Accordions don't play 'Lady of Spain.' People play 'Lady of Spain."

Rodney Myrvaagnes > wrote in message

> >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.


Yeah, the pork I have is from a Brazillian friend who got it from a
traditional Portuguese butcher in South London, so it should be a
decent slab of meat.