[ADVICE] cooking the world's biggest roast pork

[peanutter]

So pork was on special the other day, so dad bought a 8.5kg leg and informed my sister (who is cooking this year) that it's not a normal little 3-4kg jobbie, but 8.5kf of phwarness.

Mum reckons it will cook in about 3-4 hours.

I reckon she's nuts, and that (at least according to Curtis Stone and Google) we'll be lucky to get it done in 8 hours, what with everything else that's going to be in the oven ...

I also think the crackle is going to be mushy and gross.

Thoughts?

Ideas?

Any big pork pros out there?

[LimeSlice]

Take the crackle off and do it separately.

Is the bone in or out?

PS ... Will it actually fit in her oven??

[~~Snoogans~~]

Is the bone in or out?

Mind = Gutter

[peanutter]

On the bone.

It will fit, angled, and with a pan vertically so it doesn't touch the wall.

My first suggestion was for Dad to take to it with his hack saw.

He initially thought I was kidding. I wasn't.

He wasn't impressed.

[nothing2lose]

My DP is the Pork King of the Outer East He porks me often And it's goooooood.....

He reckons eight hours sounds about right. Are you using a conventional oven?

Separate the crackle, or cover it with foil once it is done (the meat will keep cooking). Remember, lots of salt and vegetable oil rubbed into the skin and start off with the oven on a very high temp.

Good luck!

[Olive]

Save me some cackling

[LimeSlice]

If it will fit in her oven...

Make sure her oven is preheated properly, 180 with no crackling (do it after, last). You will need to cook it for 40 mins per kg at least.
Allow slightly longer for bone, but make sure you elevate it in the pan on a rack or some halved carrots or onion ends.
Make sure it is not cold when you cook it either - you *can't* cook it straight from the fridge, it needs to come to temp first on the bench.

I would cook it 5 hours 45 mins, plus 30 mins covered with foil to finish. You will need to rest it a while too, a good half hour under foil and a couple of teatowels.

You will need to add time every time the oven is open, so if you have another place you could cook it at or a BBQ, I would suggest using them.

Good luck!! LOL Nice work, Dad!

ETA: When/if you take the crackling off, make sure you leave as much fat on the pork as you possibly can, not on the crackling.

[LuluHB]

I'm predicting peanutter's next post will be asking what to do with leftover Christmas pork . . .

[peanutter]

Thanks girls!

Oven is fan forced. We are not conventional people.

My dad can't help himself ... he loves his pork and a bargain, and his two worlds met (and porking, thanks for the mental image, n2l!!)

[HotI]

I'm predicting peanutter's next post will be asking what to do with leftover Christmas pork . . .

[peanutter]

I'm predicting peanutter's next post will be asking what to do with leftover Christmas pork . . .

I'll send it to n2l's DH apparently.

[Cranky Kitten]

Other option - hire a spit.

Or what they said.

[nothing2lose]

What time are you planning on eating?

[mummajj]

I just about burnt down my kitchen trying to cook pork crackling once. No advice, just wishing u luck

[Floweryfields]

Did he buy a 2lt jar of apple sauce to go with it? Can't have roast pork without apple sauce. YUMMMO!

[peanutter]

Ordinarily we'd eat at 12.30pm.

There's no chance of my sister organising a spit or anything. But FX she gets something sorted and we can eat on time ... !

[chody47]

I hope it's happily cooking away already!

[peanutter]

Nope. I just messaged her to find out, and she's on her way to mum's place now ... I'e asked her to let me know in the next 10 whether she needs me to come over, otherwise I'll be heading to church.

Her view is basically that we can just cut the cooked bits off and piff the rest back in the oven if needs be ...

Whereas I'm not planning on getting salmonella this Christmas. Or ever, in fact ... !