National Butchers Week

For National Butchers Week I was asked to cook a piece of meat from G Gibson, Butchers in Charter Place in Watford, Hertfordshire. I have had their meat before and it is fantastic quality and taste.

With so many High Street butchers closing down in favour of supermarkets we are losing an important part of our food culture.  I remember when I was young going to the local butcher, including sawdust on the floor and that unforgetable smell of meal and being given a bone for our dog in with our order.  My mother would discuss the meals she wanted to make and the butcher (Mr Beamis) would offer suggestions and tips and often throw a bit more into the wrapper after he had weighed it!

G Gibsons in Watford offers you a traditional knowledge of the butcher with a keeness to offer you hints and tips on the meat and poultry you are buying from them. The personal touch which is impossible to recreate in a supermarket environment.

For National Butchers Week I was sent a piece of pork.  When I say piece of pork I need to remind you that there are three of us to cook for at the moment and this piece would feed an army! After all it weighed just over 4kg!!

I cut off the loin and bones from the main part and cooked that when my daughter and her boys came for Mother's Day lunch.

I smeared the top with a drop of oil and a couple of tablespoons of Gran Luchito honey with chilli and put it in the oven on a lowish heat for about 3-4 hours.

The meat just fell off the bone and there was loads of meat for Sunday lunch. 

I also used the bones and the leftover meat to make a soup for Mr R's lunches!

The best thing is that I still have a very large piece of pork to roast for Easter Sunday.

 

Easter Sunday I cooked the remaining part of the pork.  First off I seasoned the meat with pepper and Maldon Sea Salt,

Then I mixed honey and the new Jack Daniels with Honey and basted the top of the meat and the sides.  Into the oven on a low heat for about three hours and basting from time to time with the remainder of the honey mixture.

 I turned the oven up for the last hour to crisp up the skin,

 

and after a total of 4 hours we had pork that fell apart and tasted divine!

 

If you want to try some delicious meat that tastes like it used to visit your local butcher, he will have all sorts of advice and tips for you too.

 

Many thanks to G Gibsons for the piece of pork.  I was not paid to write this piece and all opinions are my own.