Pork is the foundation to many a dish where it features in home-cooked meals and top-tier restaurants. The meat is succulent and juicy with strong salty flavors that simply burst in the mouth.
There are many ways to make pork, and with the right tips, you too can prepare a pork dish that is good enough to be served in a top restaurant. In this article, we will be exploring some tips from the pros to help you prepare a delicious pork dish at home today!
Start by getting your hands on the Coles Australian boneless pork shoulder roast @ $7.50/kg or the Free Range Australian pork leg roast @ $9/kg, both available on this week’s Coles catalog.
Onto our tips:
Tip 1: Pierce Skin
According to Khanh Ong, who recently appeared on MasterChef Australia, the key to preparing a tasty pork meal is to pierce the skin and cook it on a layer of tinfoil and traditional baking paper. This top chef also recommends only coating the bottom side of the meat with a strong spice to add to the flavor. If you do this, you are on your way to preparing the most delicious pork crackling around!
Tip 2: Do not cover!
Another top tip used by the best chefs around is to avoid placing a lid on the pot when frying your pork. If you put a lid on it, moisture will build up in the pan, causing the meat to steam. What you want is a nice crispy piece of pork rather than a soggy mess!
Tip 3: Let’s get some flavor
Just like any other piece of meat, pork always tastes best with some seasoning. We would recommend soaking your meat in some flavorsome brine after tenderizing. Alternatively, you can rub some dry rub and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. As the meat soaks up these flavors, you will taste the difference when it’s cooked.
Tip 4: Preheat your pan
This is actually the most important tip as it is a mistake that nearly everyone always makes. You must ensure that your pan is set at the correct temperature before your meat goes in! You can expect a dish that does not look (or taste) like the picture if you make this error, which will be a huge disappointment for everyone!
Now that you are equipped with these pro tips, we are confident that you can go out and create some world-class pork dishes for your friends and family. As you work your way through the many pork dishes you have been dying to try, do not forget to preheat your pan, season your meat, pierce the skin, and leave the lid off the pan!
Bonus: Top 5 Master Chef pork recipes you don’t want to miss!