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Pig Roasting Around the World - Part Ten

Posted by Chef Perry Perkins on

Pig Roasting Around the World - Part Ten

~Chef Perry Perkins~

I'll be honest with you, it might be easier to find the Lock Ness Monster, than a whole hog recipe in Scotland.

Alone among the peoples of northern Europe, the Scots historically harbored a deep aversion to eating pork. Even sausages seldom contained it. Unique to Scotland, beef has been the prevalent filling. The cultural idiosyncrasy persisted into the twentieth century, particularly in the Highlands.

Highland folklore put the devil in the shape of a pig and referred to him as such, “The Big Black Pig.”

So, not easy...but not impossible. ;)

Scotland - Highland Hog

45lb pig
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 onions, peeled and quartered
2 Tbs. dried sage
4 bay leaves
1 pint pork stock
1 quart dry cider
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
½ cup single malt scotch

For the marinade:

Combine onions, sage, bay leaves, apples and 1 cup stock in food processor, and puree.

Mix this with remaining stock, cider, and scotch and pour over the belly-side of the pig. Set 2 bags of ice in the belly, and let the pig marinate and rest for 24 hours, flipping the pig once, half-way through.

After 24 hours, remove the ice, drain excess marinade (reserve), pat dry, and set the pig on the counter, skin side up, to come to room temp for about 2 hours.

Rub the pig all over with olive oil.

Follow the La Caja Asadora Roasting Box Cooking Instructions and Times, HERE.

After roasting two hours warm the remaining marinade, and baste the pig.

Rest the meat for a good half an hour in a warm area.

Serve the pig with Rumbledethumps, and reduced pork drippings. Place on the table, carve and feast!

Rumbledethumps

This is a traditional dish that’s similar to Irish colcannon, and English bubble and squeak.

Many Scots use left overs to make it, however to make it truly delicious, it is always better to make it fresh. It’s considered, in Scotland, to be the ultimate winter “comfort food.”

4lb russet potatoes , cooked & mashed
4 turnips, peeled, diced, cooked, & mashed
8oz butter
1 lb. Savoy cabbage
Salt and Pepper
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to around 350F then mix the mashed potato and turnip into a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the cabbage (sliced as thin as you can) and cook until softened, being careful not to burn.

Add the cooked cabbage or kale to the potato and turnip and mix thoroughly, adding in the remaining butter as you do so.

Place the mashed vegetables in an oven-proof baking tray, sprinkle the cheese on top, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until heated right through.

Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 mins or until golden brown on the top.

Ith gu leòir! (eat plenty!)

~Chef Perry

Lacajachinacooking.com


As a third-generation chef, Perry P. Perkins focuses his love of cooking on barbeque, traditional southern fare, and fresh Northwest cuisine.

Perry runs the non-profit organization, MY KITCHEN Outreach Program, which teaches nutrition, shopping, and hands on cooking classes for at risk youth.

His cookbooks include La Caja China Cooking, La Caja China World, La Caja China Party, and the NEW “La Caja China Grill.”

You can follow the rest of Chef Perry’s cooking adventures at ChefPerryPerkins.com


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