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Nigella's Shoulder. Maggie's Butt.

maggiethecat

By maggiethecat
in Cooking

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snowangel

snowangel

Posted
Posted

Nigella's recipe says, after the high blast, to turn it over when you reduce heat and then turn it over again when it's done. Wouldn't you want it skin side up while doing the long bake? Or am I being dense?

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted
Hmm... two simple sandwich ideas:

...

Make the famous Tony DiLuc (sp?) sandwich from Philly:

pork, sauteed broccali raab and slivered aged provolone

this sounds like a good idea. i'm making a butt for the super bowl (not smoking, but rather cooking slow and low in the oven).

should i prep or otherwise molest the butt in any way before or during cooking? i plan on brining, but that's about it.

thoughts?

tommy:eats.com
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snowangel

snowangel

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should i prep or otherwise molest the butt in any way before or during cooking? i plan on brining, but that's about it.

Assuming by molest you mean rubs (and NOT the Kitchenaid mixer attachment :biggrin: ), I'd be more likely to brine and let it go at that. Makes it (and the leftovers) more versitile, IMHO.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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fifi

fifi

Posted
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My HEB had these beautiful little picnics on sale. One is lolling around in the fridge in its briney bath as I type this.

I am also starting an internal debate with myself regarding the rub. To rub or not to rub... that is the question.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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snowangel

snowangel

Posted
Posted

So what happens if you put a rub on half of it?

I don't know that it would be as flavorless without rub as we might think. All of that nice fat and collagen melting away...

And, I know I'd want some of mine with =Mark's South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce, some on tortillas with salsa, some in a sandwich like you mentioned, some in hash, etc.

And, Maggie did say that she skipped the rub this time, and adored it.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted (edited)
And, I know I'd want some of mine with =Mark's South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce,

well duh, it's on the stove already! :biggrin:

the thing about the rub is, i have this excellent cinnamon-based rub that is just absolutely fabulous, and i want a reason to use it.

i think i'm going the no rub route this time. i'll probably pull it and serve it with slaw and mark's excellent sauce.

Edited by tommy (log)
tommy:eats.com
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snowangel

snowangel

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the thing about the rub is, i have this excellent cinnamon-based rub that is just absolutely fabulous, and i want a reason to use it.

So have you posted this recipe on recipeGullet?

We will be moving soon, and on moving day, I want something really simple to feed people, and I'm thinking that a couple of butts, one rubbed, one not, might just be the ticket.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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fifi

fifi

Posted
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I am probably going to do no rub as well. That will give me a good excuse to try =Mark's sauce. Besides, the lazy factor may kick in.

Cinnamon rub? Pray tell what that is all about? I love cinnamon on meat.

This little picnic is just under five pounds. Does anyone know how long it should sit in the brine? The brine is just the standard 1 cup Kosher salt to a gallon.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted

Reporting in. My little ham went in the oven at 10:00 this morning. Predictably, I opted not to use a rub. It was brined overnight.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Mabelline

Mabelline

Posted
Posted

Find a way to sneak some cumin on it. And I really love a tender amount of five-spice powder in any pork. For leftovers, I love pork dumplings in a broth with shreds of green onions almost as delicious as fresh corn tortillas filled with the pork menchaca-style, good mex cheese oozing all over, and little diced up fried papas. Oh god, I'm hungry.

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fifi

fifi

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I have my collection of five spice based rub, a latin american rub (cumin is in there), and I am going to make some of =Mark's sauce. I figure I can make just about anything out of this puppy. :biggrin:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted

Reporting in... The little ham came off at 10:00 this morning. Yes... It is good. Damn good.

I will admit to a bit of worry about the whole thing. The fresh ham (butt portion, I actually prefer shank) does not have as much marbling and maybe not as much connective tissue as a butt. It did have a fairly nice fat cap. Well... Not to worry. It is moist and succulent. The outside meat surfaces are a bit on the almost crunchy side but that will be fine chopped and sauced. Since I didn't use a rub, I am really glad I brined it.

What would I do differently? I would use a stronger brine possibly. I used the classic 1 cup Kosher salt per gallon and it sat for about 12 hours in the brine. It is fairly nicely seasoned but, for eating as-is, I might like a little more salt. However, that probably gives me a little more latitude in the final preparation

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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SethG

SethG

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Posted

So I just ordered a 7 pound shoulder roast. Nigella says you can't overcook it, but she calls for a roast almost twice the size of mine. Should I change the cooking time at all? I see that Tommy went for seven hours at 275, but I'm wondering if I should go for 22 (or maybe 15) hours at 225?

Also, FYI, mine is not a butt, sadly, but rather a picnic roast. I understand this to come from another part of the shoulder. Since I've read that it is often used for pulled pork, I'm figuring it will be good. Am I wrong?

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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fifi

fifi

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I did it at 200 for 24 hours just out of curiosity. It was a little under 5 pounds and it was fine. On my smoker, I keep the temperature at 225 at the grate. I have used 250 in the oven. If you are going for pulled pork, I have found a lot of variability in cooking time to get it there. That is probably from the variability in collagen content of the individual roast. All of that has to convert to gelatin to get to the pulled pork stage. I think the 200/24 hour route is foolproof. Don't forget to brine.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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woodburner

woodburner

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've never brined any of the butts I've cooked, mainly because they have never came off as being dry, after pulling. Cooking time can vary quite a bit from one cooking session to the next, but by following a general routine, the time line becomes more consistent.

My method is too start with a butt, (full fat cap) that has been removed from the refrigerator for about two hours, and kept covered. I always use a rub, and like Tommy it contains cinnamon, which was done the evening prior.

Cooker temperature is about 225º when the butts go on. I keep it undisturbed for about five hours or so, until the internal meat temperature registers 160º. At that time, I drop the cooking temperature to about 190º, allowing the meat to stay at the 160º plateau range for a few hours.

Then I bring the cooking temp. back up to 225º, and continue to cook until the internal temperature is about 195º, at which I know the meat will be at the pullable stage. Total cooking time for me is about 13 hours.

All that said, there is no problem cooking butts up over 300º and probably up to 350º without doing damage, or in this case moisture loss.

woodburner

Edited by woodburner (log)
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fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted

I started brining mine for the flavor. I agree that you don't need to for moistness. A lean loin, yes. A butt or ham with a good fat cap, no.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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