Norman Walsh

I am looking for the best method to slow cook in the oven. I have checked my oven and found that I can keep it at a temperature between 50-55C. This is the temperature used by Heston Blumenthall on TV to oven cook a forerib of beef. So I suppose I could use the same method to cook a pork joint. Thanks wallie

I have been very interested reading about long slow cooking. There was a piece on radio 4 where heston blumenthall brined belly pork then slow cooked it, the total time was 72hours. Being an old timer this is a cut of pork I really like and would be very gratefull if someone could point me to a recipe on doing this. Also when he brined it would this be just a salt and water brine? Thanks for any help on this. wallie

One thing I do not like about quite a lot of american recipes is the cup measurement. Are all cups the same size in the US? I would like to know how many fluid onces there is in an american cup. wallie

Sorry I got mixed up with Centigrade and Farenheight in my original post. Many thanks for the response. Norman

I would like the answer to a query regarding using a Meat Thermometer. I have just purchased one and noticed the instructions quote 170c for beef. Surely this must depend on the cut, for instance would it take the same time to reach 170c in a both a sirloin joint and a briscuit joint? If so, the sirloin would be cooked o/k but the briscuit would not. Thanks for any information on this. wallie

Hi Kutsu Funny enough today I thought I would try his Fish & Chips. The fish batter without the soda syphon, I double the lager and omitted the vodka(after all 300ml of vodka would have me stotting all over the kitchen) I used cornflour instead of rice flour. When the oil was at 200c I mixed the lager into the rest of the ingredients then fried the fish, drizzling batter over as per recipe. The fish was haddock from North Shields fishquay and I must say this was the best batter I have tasted. It was golden cripsy and perfect Hurrah for Heston Norman

I have seen 4 episodes Tuesday evening 8.30 BBC2. Also read the book £20. I think some of his methods are a bit over the top, fish batter in a soda syphon and a vacumn cleaner for the aireated chocolate. He was looking for the perfect sausage and used 20% water. Not impressed. Norman Walsh