Meat The Expert – with Tom Cooper

With cooler weather on the horizon, it’s time to plan for some meatier dishes. I’ve been in this business for many years and I continue to be impressed with the versatility and reliability of Australian pork. It reads well on the menu, customers always respond well and it consistently performs on cost, quality and flavour. Two of the best cuts are trimmed striploin and boned and rolled loin. They have been ‘price stable’ for some time making them dependable go-to cuts for long-term menu planning.

Pork striploin is such a beautiful, sweet cut. It sits close to the bone on the spine, on the back of the animal, meaning it has just the right amount of marbling for succulence. Striploin is the same muscle as sirloin or beef porterhouse. I am a big fan of the Homestead Pork sirloin. It is trimmed and moisture-infused making it a foolproof cut to cook tender with the perfect texture every time.

Trimmed and evenly portioned, the striploin can be roasted whole for the carvery and will keep tender in the bain-marie. This is a cut I love to brush with a seasoned maple glaze and roast uncovered at 180°C-200°C for 2 hours, left to rest and served with garlic roasted potatoes, French beans and jus made with stock and deglazed juices from the roasting pan.

Because of its uniform shape and size, it is easy to slice pork sirloin into equal portions for a pork steak. It cooks in minutes on the grill, takes on deep golden bar marks and is great served with chips, veg or salad in the bar or bistro.

Dice pork sirloin, sear and finish in a rich coconut-based Thai curry laced with kaffir lime and packed with loads of veg. It’s mild, tasty and makes a great looking dish with a little bright garnish and a timbale of steaming rice. It’s also a great cut to slice fine, and marinate in soy, rice wine and corn starch for a Chinese-inspired stir fry that will stay glossy and taste great.

Another great piece of pork is the Homestead Pork boned and rolled striploin. This is a beautifully trimmed and hand-rolled striploin muscle together with some of the juicy, well-marbled pork closer to the belly all wrapped in a fine layer of pre-scored skin. This makes a classic roast with a great layer of golden crackling. I prepare this by removing it from the vacuum pack, patting it dry and pouring over a jug of boiling water to open the skin. I pat dry again, rub salt and leave on a rack in the fridge overnight. Next day I pat dry, add a little more salt, rub in some oil and then roast high in an oven preheated to 240°C/220°C fan until the crackling is perfect — then turn it down to 180°C and cook until the internal temperature is 63°C for medium rare and 71°C for medium. I rest it, carve and serve with twice-cooked potatoes, apple sauce and fresh green beans.

This is a cut that also loves a good rub. Pork and fennel are best mates so put a few tablespoons of fennel seeds in the mortar and grind with the pestle, then grab some salt flakes and fresh peppercorns and rub into the skin well before roasting. Pork also loves Chinese five spice which, when blended with a little orange zest, makes an exotic and tangy rub that gives the crackling a deep golden hue.

Boned and rolled loin is great for the carvery and looks impressive when presented in one piece. It’s also a cost-effective cut for pork rolls and Vietnamese bánh mi. If using in rolls, don’t forget the dressings. Use the pan juices to enrich the gravy and don’t forget to consider a little garlic-rich aioli or even a spiced apple mayo. To make this, roast Granny Smith apples whole for about 20 minutes at 180°C/160°C fan until the flesh is soft and fluffy. Allow to cool, scoop out and blend with whole egg mayo and a touch of Dutch cinnamon. Delicious.

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