Rack of pork

[Sackville]

Believe it or not, I've never done a pork roast before... I've done plenty of roast chickens and the odd leg or lamb or piece of beef but never pork.

What do I need to know? Should my meat be raised off the pan (so it doesn't swim in its own juices)?

I was just skimming through my MEAT cookbook and in there it recommends to do a high heat sizzle for 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of roast, to help get a good crusty skin and then to turn the heat down to about 160 C and proceed from there. Sensible?

This is only a small roast, just enough for 4 people.

[mharpo]

Believe it or not, I've never done a pork roast before... I've done plenty of roast chickens and the odd leg or lamb or piece of beef but never pork.

What do I need to know? Should my meat be raised off the pan (so it doesn't swim in its own juices)?

I was just skimming through my MEAT cookbook and in there it recommends to do a high heat sizzle for 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of roast, to help get a good crusty skin and then to turn the heat down to about 160 C and proceed from there. Sensible?

This is only a small roast, just enough for 4 people.

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Cook's Illustrated has a good recipe. Brining, as they point out, is the key to a really good roast...

[Sackville]

I assume Cooks Illustrated is an American magazine? I'm in the UK.... unfortunately, I have no time to brine so let's go for the 2nd best method

[fifi]

What I do depends upon the size of the roast and the cut. I am not sure how "rack of pork" translates to the cuts we get here.

Verrrrry generally . . .

A fattier hunk such as what we call pork butt (actually shoulder) I will normally slow roast or even braise until it is fall apart tender. This is about the same as a slow cooked BBQ where all of the collagen converts to gelatin and the fat renders to baste the meat. The tradition of "pulled pork" refers to that end product where you can literally pull the pork apart with no effort at all. Internal temperature will approach 200F (about 94C). A well known phenomenon when BBQing, actually smoking, is that the internal temperature stalls at about 170F while the collagen converts to gelatin and the fat renders. Then the temperature starts to rise again and you are just about done. You don't really have to monitor temperature but can tell when it is done when you can stick a fork in it and can turn the fork with little effort. Cooking temperature for this process is typically 225 to 250F (Sorry, I can't read the conversion to C on my thermometer.)

A leaner cut like a boneless pork loin, a common cut here, I will do a little differently. I will roast it to an internal temperature of 140F (I think about 60C), tent with foil and let it rest for about 15 - 20 minutes before slicing. It is just barely pink and very juicy. I really haven't had very much success with the high temperature start routine. I find it just dries it out too much. Our pork here doesn't have enough fat. I just roast at 325F for a little longer and get nice browning. This recipe is a family favorite that I have done many times with great success. I delete the high temp start and roast at 325F.

[Sackville]

What I do depends upon the size of the roast and the cut. I am not sure how "rack of pork" translates to the cuts we get here.

You can see what I have here. It has at least 1 cm fat over the top but not much through the actual meat. That's why I'm thinking a slow braising method wouldn't be much help. Besides, I want good crackling!

[Dianne]

That's a loin cut, and you are lucky to have the bones. Loin roasts can be dry if over cooked. Sit it on the bones with the fat and skin side up; score the crackling if the butcher did not do that for you, and roast at a fairly slow rate(150-170C.) and roast to 140F. like Fifi says. I think that is about 60C. Your cracklings won't be craclin' yet. While the meat rests, skim the fat from the roasting pan and remove the cracklings from the roast. Then fry strips of skin in the fat to crisp, or roast the skin in a cranked oven, really high heat, with the skin down in the fat. The oven is likely to be a mess, but the cracklings get really good.

[fifi]

Ah . . . I have never done one of those. But, it is close to the boneless pork loin and I would go that way. Could you crisp the fat side under the broiler? I just really find that today's leaner pork tends to dry out a bit when subjected to high roasting temperatures, even though that is the long touted method. A few years ago, I had the odd occasion to do two loins on successive weekends. My son and I were curious so we changed the method to a no high heat start on the second try and much preferred it. The fat was nice and brown but I think we could have run it under the broiler close to the heat to quickly get more crispies without harming the meat.

[Sackville]

Thank you both for your help. I will try roasting at a lower temp and then see about the crackling nearer the end. I do remember a butcher a while ago telling me you could just turn up the broiler for 5 mins at the very end to get the crispy crackling.

[Dianne]

Yes, I think you can just broil for a few min. at the end, but I meant the cracklings to be finished while the meat was resting. You want to cut the cracklings off the roast, drap the roast in foil, and then deal with the cracklings on their own. They help keep the meat moist as it roasts, but the time and temp are too low to get the skin crisp. So fry, or broil, or high heat roast the skin on its own for more time to crisp up.

[fifi]

I like that idea of crisping up the cracklings separately. That opens up all sorts of possibilites for using them as a garnish on salads or potatoes, or something. That is . . . if they make it past the cook's maw. Isn't there a tradition about "Cook's Treats" somewhere?

[Sackville]

Right-o.... I will try the crackling separately :-)

[peppyre]

My mom used to cook these all the time. Very simple, leave the fat on, because that's the best part, salt and pepper all sides, take some grainy mustard, rub it into the roast. Place roast on pan and stick in a 350 degree oven. Roast for about an hour (it may take a little longer than that depending on the thickness) Works everytime and the outside is crispy and flavourful and the meat is tender.

[Mooshmouse]

I might be hung, drawn and quartered for this, but slow-cooking in the crock pot is one of my favourite ways to do a pork roast, boneless loin or shoulder/butt. No crispy cracklings, to be sure, but the moist heat ensures that it always comes out perfectly... just pink enough. The rub I use is different every time: salt and pepper for sure, sometimes thyme, sometimes grainy mustard, sometimes studded with garlic, whatever tickles my fancy that day. I pan brown it beforehand whenever I have the luxury of time and put it in the crock pot fat side up. Yummy.

[Sackville]

The roast was lovely! Thanks to all who offered their tips. I roasted for about an hour at 325 F then turned the heat way down for a little longer (guests called to say they'd be late). Took out the roast to rest, cut off the crackling and finished it off with the potatoes in the oven under the broiler. Just perfect and couldn't have done it without your help

[Dianne]

Great to hear everything went so well.

[c oliver]

A newbie so hope I'm posting in the right place.

 

I have a half rack of pork (four ribs).  I always use the recipe on the label of the Costco rack but it's MIA.  If anyone has that I'd love to get it but am completely open to all other suggestions.  I saw one recipe with a delish mushroom cream sauce but I'd have to go out to get the cream.  Not a big deal.  I'd love to 'hear' about what y'all do.  TIA.

[Smithy]

I'm partial to the low-slow method of cooking ribs, whether it's pork or beef.  Coat with the dry spice mix of your choice (for instance a bit of cumin, salt, paprika, sugar for browning, ancho chili to taste).  Put in a heavy covered baking dish and set in the oven at, oh, 200 - 225F for, oh, 4 hours...until it's melting off the bone.  I use the fork test and can't give specific times, but that's about right.  My darling likes to take the cover off and paint the ribs with barbecue sauce and leave it that way when the ribs are getting close to tender, about the last half hour.

[c oliver]

To clarify I'm going to roast the rack whole not in individual ribs.  I also have a few marginally fresh herbs left from the summer, i.e., sage, rosemary, maybe a little tarragon and oregano.

[ahpadt]

Are you referring to the ribs or a french-trimmed loin on the bone?

[c oliver]

Like this:

 

http://www.askchefdennis.com/2012/04/oven-roasted-rack-of-pork-inside-my-restaurant-kitchen/

 

Like a rack of lamb.

[FeChef]

For rack of pork i would glaze them with honey mustard and soy sauce , roast them till internal reaches 140F and top them with a carmelized apple and sage sauce topping.

[c oliver]

Thanks.  At what oven temp please?

[FeChef]

Thanks.  At what oven temp please?

350F for 45 min maybe?

 

I go by temp not time. But i do alot of my cooking sous vide so i dont even keep track of either anymore.

Edited November 30, 2014 by FeChef (log)

[RobertM]

Mario Batalli has a magnificent recipe for a rack of Pork called Aristarchus Toscana. Simple, but elegant and delicious! I highly recommend it, I've cooked it for a Christmas Eve dinner for 20+, everyone raved....

[c oliver]

Mario Batalli has a magnificent recipe for a rack of Pork called Aristarchus Toscana. Simple, but elegant and delicious! I highly recommend it, I've cooked it for a Christmas Eve dinner for 20+, everyone raved....

Thanks.  Here's a link

 

http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Mario-Batali-Arista-Toscana