an introduction - Pork For Caterers - BPEX

a chef’s guide to 

PORK 

a foodservice guide to pork and 

pork products for your menu 

an introduction 

Good decision, you’ve decided to open 

this foodservice guide to pork. 

By doing so, the endless opportunities 

that pork offers in terms of innovating 

back of house and delighting customers 

front of house, time and again, are now at 

your fingertips. 

Pork delivers great flavour, a range of 

textures and eating experiences and is the 

base for so many great dishes – both 

traditional and modern – across so many 

cuisines. Plus, it’s kind to your budget. 

This book is broken down into three 

main sections: 

Putting Pork on the Menu 1 

This section highlights sourcing, variety, 

husbandry and answers the question ‘why 

pork?’ 

Pork Possibilities 9 

A definitive guide, by cooking method, to 

pork cuts, dishes and flavours 

Buying, Specifying & Handling Pork 45 

Valuable information on managing your 

suppliers and making the most of your 

pork prep work 

From high end fine dining to large scale 

cost sector catering, pork is an ingredient 

to suit any operation. 

Read on...

To assist and encourage the British pig industry to exploit 

fully consumers’ changing requirements and so achieve 

sustainable growth. 

The task of the British Pig Executive 

(BPEX) is to determine the Meat and 

Livestock Commission’s Pig Strategy and 

to ensure that Britain’s pig levy payers’ 

money is efficiently deployed in line with 

this strategy. 

BPEX operates with maximum autonomy 

within MLC's statutory responsibilities 

and comprises leading individuals across 

the British pig industry. It consists of 

12 people nominated by industry 

representative organisations and meets 

at least 6 times a year. 

BPEX is committed to stemming the 

current decline in the British pig industry 

and improving competitiveness throughout 

the supply chain, defending and adding 

value to the markets for pork and pork 

products and building alliances to develop 

the British market. 

Full information on the Road to Recovery 

plan and BPEX strategy can be viewed 

online at www.bpex.org.uk/ 

All pork, bacon, ham and sausages that carry the 

Quality Standard Mark come from farmers and 

processors committed to high standards of animal 

welfare, quality control and traceability. The production 

chain is independently audited to ensure compliance 

with these standards.

THE CASE FOR MORE PORK… 

Pork is popular with British consumers 

and it offers superb value for money and 

profit opportunities to caterers. Pork is 

also versatile, tasty and healthy, yet it is 

under-represented on many of Britain’s 

menus. 

This booklet aims to address this 

paradox, by: 

• Stating the case for pork 

• Providing the most up-to-date advice 

on buying, preparing and serving pork 

• Inspiring chefs with a wealth of pork 

recipes and ideas 

Whether you cook in the cost or profit 

sector, budget or white linen, there are 

recipes, pork cuts and techniques in this 

booklet for you. 

Pork is the world’s favourite meat, 

although in Britain it is the second 

choice red meat after beef. MLC 

figures show that over 82% of 

households buy pork during the 

course of a year, and pork sales grew 

in value by 5% last year*. Britain’s 

total fresh pork market was worth a 

massive £600 million in the 12 

months to November 2003 – there 

are plenty of pork fans out there. 

Recent consumer research by MLC and 

BPEX into consumer attitudes to pork 

provides encouraging results too. 

Roast pork evoked happy memories of 

family meals and Sunday roasts with 

comments such as: 

• “Great with apple sauce” 

• “I love the crackling” 

• “It tastes and smells great” 

* Source: TNS 

Favourable views on popular cuts such as 

chops, steaks and stir-fry strips included: 

• “It’s lean” 

• “It’s succulent” 

• “It’s soft and pleasant to eat” 

• “We all enjoy pork” 

Why then are only 5.5% of pork meals 

eaten out of home? Possibly because 

within foodservice, only 4% of main 

course dishes contain pork. There are 

however some encouraging trends within 

foodservice such as: 

• Accelerated growth in pork usage in 

the cost sector driven by marketing of 

the real health benefits of pork – in 

hospitals pork now has up to 7.4% 

share of meals served 

• White linen use of rare and traditional 

breeds 

• Pub sector’s increased use of pork on 

the grill 

Profit from pork 

PUTTING PORK ON THE MENU 1 

Pork is remarkably inexpensive by 

comparison with other proteins meaning 

higher profit margins for the chef or 

caterer. Alternatively, by applying the 

same profit margin to pork as to other red 

meats, the caterer can tempt customers 

with ‘good value’ or ‘attractively priced’, 

pork options on the menu. 

Seam butchery methods developed by 

the MLC have improved profitability 

further by enabling: 

• Better portion control 

• Easier carving of joints 

• Little or no plate waste

2 

“I think that pork is one of the 

most underrated of meats, it has 

so much flavour and is so versatile 

to cook with. For me, to taste a 

nice, moist, succulent piece of 

roast pork with its creamy, crispy 

crackling is one of the highlights 

of my day. 

We often feature rare breed pork 

on our menus. The bacon and 

sausages on the Breakfast Menu 

comes from British Lops. 

Gloucestershire Old Spot and 

Middle White pork provides 

tenderloins for Banqueting as well 

as our Grill Room Specials.” 

versatile Pork is versatile 

henry brosi 

The majority of pork cuts are suitable for 

roasting, grilling and other quick cooking 

methods. Pork can be cooked and served 

pink, medium or well done. Let your 

customers choose (see page 19), but pork 

is most tender and succulent when lightly 

cooked. 

Slow-cooked pork dishes, such as 

casseroles, are also delicious and are 

proving increasingly popular with 

consumers who lack the time or skill to 

slow cook at home. Cook sausages on the 

barbecue, chargrill or as a casserole 

ingredient; or better still, make your own. 

Add speciality bacons to your breakfast 

offering, make the most of the myriad of 

hams and new cured pork products on 

offer. 

healthy 

Pork as part of a healthy diet 

Pork provides: 

• Protein – necessary for growth and an 

important constituent of a balanced, 

healthy diet 

• Minerals, particularly iron and zinc. 

Iron deficiency is the most common 

dietary cause of anaemia 

• D and B vitamins including B12 which 

is not found in foods of plant origin. A 

medium (90g) serving of lean roast 

pork would provide over 60% of our 

daily B12 requirement 

• Thiamin – 60% of our daily requirement 

would be provided by one 90g serving 

of lean roast pork 

• Omega 3 fatty acids which are thought 

to protect against fatal heart disease 

Pork – low in fat: 

• The fat content of pork has decreased 

by over a third on average in the past 

20 years 

• Fully trimmed pork contains as little as 

4% fat, compared to 5% for beef and 

8% for lamb 

• Over 40% of this fat is monounsaturated, 

the type often associated 

with the ‘healthy’ Mediterranean diet 

• Lean pork dishes or recipes made from 

lean pork mince can contain as little as 

8g fat per portion 

Rather than restricting choice, chefs and 

caterers should provide their customers 

with wide and varied menu choices that 

include red meat options. Customers can 

then make healthy changes to their diet 

(at their discretion) without reducing 

their enjoyment of dining out.

low fat Caterers 

in health and education may be 

interested in a number of tasty pork 

recipes created by the MLC foodservice 

development team for a range of special 

diets: diabetics, soft diets, high-fibre and 

low-fat. For copies of the MLC’s Recipes 

for Recovery leaflets call 01908 844 114. 

MLC advice on cooking for reduced-fat 

diets includes: 

• Specify lean cuts of pork, e.g. lean 

cubes for casseroles and kebabs, lean 

mince 

• Source lower-fat versions of popular 

meat products such as sausages and 

pâté 

• Trim fat from meat before cooking 

• Cut any remaining fat from pork before 

serving 

• Adopt healthier cooking methods such 

as grilling, roasting on a rack, or dry- 

frying 


• Discard fat from the pan before making 

gravies or sauces 

• Skim fat from casseroles before serving 

• Dab grilled or fried meat before serving

4 

To create great pork dishes you need 

good quality raw materials plus the ideas, 

knowledge and the skill to use them well. 

It is a proven fact that the better the 

quality of the raw pork, the better its 

flavour, texture and colour when cooked. 

So if you are looking to give pleasure to 

your customers and to show off your 

cooking skills, the quality of the pork that 

you specify and buy is important. 

There are also important welfare and 

food safety issues to consider, which are 

closely connected to quality and price. 

Pork costs more to produce when farmers 

improve living conditions for their pigs, 

for example by providing them with high 

quality feed, yet these measures are 

obviously important in an increasingly 

health conscious society. Consumers are 

taking more and more interest in such 

issues and your staff need to be able to 

answer questions on meat supply with 

confidence and truth. 

It is perfectly possible to buy quality pork 

on a restricted budget: 

• Consider cost-effective cuts from 

better quality carcases 

• Cut down on waste by specifying 

tightly and correctly, to ensure you get 

quality Why quality counts 

exactly what you want, butchered as 

you want it 

• Cook creatively –try new and interesting 

recipes from less expensive cuts 

• Use vegetables, carbohydrates, stuffings 

and farces to ‘bulk up’ dishes 

Why buy BPEX Quality 

Standard Pork? 

Buying pork which carries the BPEX Quality 

Pork Standard Mark offers you, the caterer, 

the easiest route to ensuring quality pork 

supply. It also supports safe and ethical 

pork production, and guarantees full 

traceability from plate back to farm. 

In recent years, the British Pig Executive 

(BPEX), through its Butchery and 

Technical team, has made great strides in 

enhancing the eating quality of pork. 

Through breeding programmes, extensive 

research and in-house trials, British 

consumer demands for lean, tasty and 

succulent pork have been answered. 

As much as two-thirds of imported 

pork comes from farms that operate 

welfare practices which would be illegal 

in Britain (Source: BPEX research, 

Summer 2004) although they do 

comply with EU Standards. 

The BPEX Quality Standards for pork, bacon 

and ham provide important assurances of 

good practice throughout the supply chain 

and these standards are independently 

audited every six months. Consumer 

research shows that this mark has achieved 

higher levels of consumer recognition than 

nearly all other farm assurance marks. 

On the farm the BPEX Quality Standards 

are operated through independently 

verified assurance schemes ensuring high 

standards of pig welfare and husbandry. 

Guidelines focus on: 

• Feeding, with its implications for 

fat/lean meat ratios, weight and 

carcase quality. No MBM (meat and 

bone meal) can be included in animal 

feeding stuffs

ventilation and separation 

• The use of stalls and tethers for 

pregnant sows is banned in Britain, 

but not in much of Europe or 

elsewhere 

• Veterinary medicines – animals 

receive immunisation against disease; 

antibiotics are administered only 

when necessary; growth promoting 

hormones were banned back in 1989 

• Residue monitoring (enforced by 

random testing) 

welfare • Housing, including stocking densities, 

Scheme-approved farmers care for their 

animals following the Five Freedom’s 

welfare code: 

✔ Freedom from hunger and thirst 

✔ Freedom from discomfort 

✔ Freedom from pain, injury or disease 

✔ Freedom to perform normal patterns 

of behaviour 

✔ Freedom from fear or distress 

Vets make quarterly inspections to check 

that standards are being met on farms. 

These are backed up by independent 

inspectors who make checks on the 

whole food chain, visiting farmers, 

hauliers and pork processors at least once 

a year. 

Good husbandry promotes excellent eating quality 

“We source the pork direct from 

the farm because it enables me to 

see for myself just how the animals 

have been cared for, which of 

course makes a difference to the 

quality of the end product. In fact 

we use the same supplier for about 

90% of the meat that we buy and I 

make sure that the name of the 

farm is included on the menu, to 

give my customers peace of mind.” 

nigel haworth 


Transportation 

The state that the animals arrive at the 

abattoir, the way that they are handled 

there, and the handling of the carcases all 

have important implications for the 

quality of the pork produced. As a result, 

all aspects of the transportation of live 

pigs are covered by the BPEX Quality 

Standard. Independent welfare officers 

report on: 

• Drivers’ training, loading and unloading 

• Vehicle design and construction 

• Stocking densities, ventilation and 

separation of animals 

• Scheduling of abattoir deliveries to 

minimise standing time 

• Animal health

6 

Abattoirs 

Abattoirs too must be members of a BPEXapproved 

independent scheme in order to 

process meat carrying the BPEX Quality 

Pork Standard. Key areas regulated and 

scrutinised regularly by official veterinary 

surgeons include: 

• Rigorous pre-slaughter inspection by a 

qualified vet 

• Slaughtering procedures to minimise 

stress 

• Rigorous post-slaughter inspection by 

a qualified inspector from the Meat 

Hygiene Service 

• Product identification and independent 

weekly traceability audits back to the 

farm 

• Carcase dressing 

Butchers 

Butchers or meat suppliers too must be 

members of a BPEX-approved scheme in 

order to supply BPEX Quality Assured Pork, 

Sausages, Ham or Bacon. Caterers should 

check that their meat suppliers are BPEXapproved. 

If not, encourage the supplier to 

become part of the BPEX Quality Standard 

Scheme, or source a new approved supplier. 

Local pork 

‘Buy local’ campaign is gaining 

momentum, fuelled by consumer concern 

over animal welfare and the environment, 

as well as the media. Pubs and restaurants 

that have added local dishes to their 

menus have experienced an excellent 

response from their customers and have 

been able to charge a premium. 

Why tell customers the origin 

of your meat? The case for 

menu transparency 

Buying Quality Standard pork, bacon or 

ham will give you and your customers 

confidence in the product. 

MLC devotes much of its time to 

understanding the needs of consumers, 

and 2004 MLC/NOP research shows 

clearly that: 

• 61% of consumers want to know the 

origin of the meat that they eat 

• 80% want to see origin on menus 

• Many consumers understand the 

potential benefits to farming of menu 

transparency 

The retail sector has already responded to 

consumer demands for meat packaging 

to display the country of origin. 

Increasingly consumers are asking for the 

same information when eating out and 

operators will find themselves under 

increasing pressure to label the origin of 

meat on their menus.

Consumers know the BPEX Quality 

standard mark. The launch of the new 

BPEX Quality Pork Standard is supported 

by considerable consumer advertising 

and marketing activity, which is telling 

your customers about the quality and 

welfare assurances guaranteed by Quality 

Standard pork. 

Stating the origin clearly on 

the menu will: 

• Provide your customers with 

important assurances for pork quality 

and safety as well as pig husbandry 

and welfare 

• Highlight the relationship of trust 

between you, your suppliers and 

producers 

• Demonstrate to your customers your 

commitment to high quality ingredients 

• Help build a competitive advantage 

• Display your commitment to due 

diligence 

“Menu transparency is something I 

wholeheartedly support and we 

endeavour to apply it in all our 

restaurants.” 

gordon ramsay 

menu transparency 


Applying MLC’s Best Practice 

Guidelines 

Following a period of consultation with 

the foodservice industry, MLC has created 

the ‘Best Practice Guidelines’ for menu 

transparency. These are simple to 

implement as follows: 

• You should ensure that country of 

origin details are provided for all 

dishes on the menu where the major 

or prominent ingredient is meat based 

• This information should be available 

either on the menu or clearly 

displayed on a poster, chalkboard or 

other point-of-sale material 

• The term ‘origin’ in this context refers 

to where the animal has spent the 

majority of its life. All reputable 

suppliers should be able to provide 

origin traceability documentation 

• Caterers may if they wish, provide 

reference to a specific region, e.g. 

‘Wiltshire-reared pork’, or even the 

farm that the animal came from 

• If reference to breed is included on the 

menu, this should still be supported 

with country of origin details 

• Brand names implying origin should 

also be clarified, e.g. ‘Lakeland Pork 

from Cumbria’ 

• Caterers buying meat from more that 

one country should simply indicate their 

sourcing policy with a short explanation 

on the menu, e.g. “The meat served in 

this restaurant is British unless 

otherwise stated” or “We source our 

meat from around the world (Britain, 

Ireland and Argentina) to serve you with 

quality meals at affordable prices” 

• If the origin of meat supplied may 

change before the menu, then this too 

should be mentioned, e.g. ‘The meat 

served in this restaurant is selected 

according to availability. Pork is from 

Britain unless otherwise stated’

ROAST 

The classic pork roast with crispy 

crackling and all the trimmings is so 

well known and loved that to exceed 

customer expectations presents a 

challenge, but one well worth 

addressing. 

To roast means simply to cook in the dry 

heat of an oven, and pork offers plenty of 

opportunities to deviate from tradition. 

Impress with a suckling pig, keep within 

budget using less expensive roasting 

joints, offer single portion roasts or wet 

roasted pork dishes.To stand out from the 

competition, experiment with more 

imaginative recipes. 

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF ROASTING 

Roasting depends on the ‘Maillard 

Reaction’ to transform the meat’s 

natural juices into the wonderful 

flavours and aromas that we expect in a 

roast. 

Roast pork is sweeter than other meats. 

The outer, darker pork has a stronger 

caramelised flavour that complements 

the subtler taste and softer texture of the 

inner meat. 

Allow some ‘give’ in the string when tying 

roasts, about 1 cm. Tight ties compress 

moisture generated during cooking, 

forcing it out as steam, drying and 

toughening the meat. 

Start joints cooking at high temperatures 

to sear meat and crisp crackling, then 

reduce temperatures to cook meat to the 

core. 

Lower roasting temperatures provide 

higher yields (and profits), plus moister 

pork which is easier to carve. 

It is particularly important that boned 

and rolled joints are well cooked through 

(see page 19), as any bacteria introduced 

during bone removal may have been 

rolled into the centre. 

Baste while roasting as it helps to 

distribute flavour and heat. 

Avoid piercing pork while roasting – those 

precious juices will escape! 

Roast suckling (or sucking) pig produces 

the most delicate and delicious pork 

imaginable.

SERVES: 10 

2.5kg Pork silverside joint 

10g Oil 

Marinade 

60g Brown sugar 

15g Honey 

10g Garlic cloves, crushed 

20g Ginger, finely diced 

40g Dark rum 

20g Lemon juice 

300g Pineapple Juice 

Garnish 

1.5kg Roasted sweet potatoes, 

diced 

800g Fresh pineapple, diced 

Serving suggestion 

ROAST 

ROAST PORK CALYPSO 

PORK POSSIBILITIES 9 

Heat oil in ovenproof pan. Add the 

silverside joint and lightly brown on all 

sides. Roast for at least 60 minutes at 

130ºC. Remove the joint from the oven 

and pour over the ingredients for the 

sauce. Allow to reduce, basting the meat 

regularly for 10 minutes or until the 

sauce thickens. 

To serve, carve two slices of the joint and 

spoon over the sauce. Serve with roasted 

sweet potato and chargrilled pineapple.

CUT SHOWCASE 

COLLAR AND CARVERY 

ROAST 

From fore end to carvery roast… 

> > 


• Remove internal pockets of fat and heavy gristles • Specify ‘tied evenly’ for even cooking 

• Score prior to roasting • Remove rind after cooking and serve separately if you wish

12 

CRACKLING 

The essentials 

Scoring, wetting and salting 

Well-scored pork rind creates the 

crunchiest crackling, as scoring enables 

fat to escape from the fat layer and crisp 

the rind during cooking. Scoring also 

improves heat transfer through the joint 

and aids carving and portion control. 

Include in your purchase specifications 

that roasting joints should be well scored. 

Cuts should penetrate rind, but not 

through to the fat layer. 

If you’d prefer to score your own rind, 

invest in a craft knife. 

crackling GUARANTEED CRUNCHY 

Scoring 

Wetting 

Historically the use of salt was promoted 

for good crackling but now BPEX and MLC 

support low salt initiatives and recommend 

that crackling can be enjoyed without its 

addition – in MLC tests, the use of boiling 

water at the beginning of roasting poured 

over the skin produces the best results. 

For best results remove the crackling 

from the joint as soon as roasting is 

complete. Cut crackling into portions, 

return to the roasting tray and crisp for 

a further 10 minutes in a hot oven. 

Should I rest my roast? 

Contrary to traditional teaching, the 

latest research* suggests that moisture 

will not move back into the joint once 

cooking is completed. Although pork 

sliced from rested joints demonstrated 

better visual qualities, the implications to 

the chef of reduced yield (and therefore 

profit) and no significant change in eating 

quality led to the conclusion that joints 

should not be rested. 

* Source: Danish Meat Research Institute 

Carving 

Carving can be both time consuming and 

wasteful so specify boneless cuts if 

possible and don’t go bigger than you have 

to. Smaller joints, such as half legs for 

example, are easier to deal with, but still 

give great theatre and plate presentation. 

They also offer more profit and there’s less 

waste.

• Boneless joint 

Remove crackling and slice joint (across 

the meat grain) into portions 

• Chined loin roast on the bone 

Remove the loin from the bone using a 

suitable knife. Then cut loin into 1 ⁄2 cm 

thick slices, always cut across the grain 

• Leg or ham 

Place joint with narrow knuckle pointing 

away and the meatiest side uppermost. 

Insert fork into the lower half of wide 

end facing you and carve first slice at a 

slight angle off the vertical. Continue 

carving slices off the ham, flattening the 

knife as you come nearer the knuckle so 

that slices are not too narrow. Turn over 

and carve the other side 

• Suckling pig/whole hog roasts 

Cut the skin around the shoulder and 

insert knifepoint cutting through the 

joints. If well cooked the front legs 

should come away easily. Cut the skin 

around the hind legs and remove. Then 

portion the loin cuts 

carving joints To carve a: 

ALL THE TRIMMINGS 

Pork is a very versatile meat, delight your 

customers and keep your menu fresh with 

these suggestions… 

Glazing protects the meat’s surface 

during cooking and tastes great too. 

Try… 

• Sweet chilli sauce and crushed garlic 

• Redcurrant jelly or apricot jam 

• Clear honey mixed with lemon juice or 

mustard 

• For Christmas, stuff your 

joint with Christmas pudding … 

no, really, it works! 

stuffing 


Sauces – more than just apple: 

• Roasted ripe pears look much more 

impressive (season, drizzle with oil and 

roast in their skins) 

• Upgrade to quince and apple sauce – 

stew the quinces slowly in cider, sugar 

and water 

• Apple, sage and hot mustard relish – 

chop eating apples with fresh sage, 

white wine, brown sugar and English 

mustard – simmer for 10-15 minutes 

• Sauce Robert is a piquant sauce based on 

gherkins, browned onions, white wine and 

vinegar. This recipe is usually attributed to 

the 16th century chef Robert Vinot, but 

its origins are much older 

Some stuffing ideas: 

• Chopped bacon, green peppers, carrots 

and prunes 

• Pear and ground cinnamon with pork 

sausage meat and chopped bacon 

• Orange stuffing made with zest and 

juice, parsley, chives, thyme, sage, 

onion and breadcrumbs 

• Chopped pig’s kidneys with mixed 

fresh herbs 

• Apricot, thyme and white rice 

• Potato, swede, bacon and sweet herbs 

• Fresh, crushed red chillies, garlic and 

ginger – mixed to a paste with oil 

• Line internal surface of joint with airdried 

ham, spread with herby stuffing, 

roll and tie

14 

Tasty partners! 

• Jerusalem artichokes or pumpkin 

pieces will roast around the joint just 

as well as parsnips 

• Swede and apple bake 

• Red cabbage braised with orange 

• Baps and buns – filled with hot roast 

pork, stuffing and apple sauce – quite 

delicious! 

The individual ‘mini-roasting joint’ is a 

fantastic cut that is specified for one 

portion. As a result, it can be cooked to 

order and to the customer’s liking – 

medium, well done. A dish using this cut 

commands a good price and does not 

have to use the most expensive muscles. 

Suckling pig: 

Suckling (or sucking) pig makes great 

theatre. Leave stomach cavity open for 

ease of cooking or fill with fresh herbs or 

stuffing for extra flavour. Skewer front 

legs forwards and back legs backwards to 

expose all surfaces for browning. Brush 

skin with olive oil and roast in a moderate 

oven until a correct core temperature is 

reached. 

See page 19 for the FSA guidelines. 

Other roasting cuts: 

• Spread pork steaks with stuffing, fold 

back into a steak, secure and roast 

• Core and stuff brasserie steaks for roasting 

• Pork chops roast brilliantly in an open 

tray on a layer of root vegetables 

• Score rind of a belly block, make a pocket 

between it and meat layer, spread with a 

mixture of fennel seeds, crushed juniper 

berries, rosemary, lemon juice and oil 

Trotters: 

You can also roast pig’s trotters! They’ll 

need braising then boning first (allow 2 

hours). Then, stuff with mashed potato 

and shallots sautéed in goose fat. 

Savoury duck: 

Not game but pork, a ‘Savoury Duck’ is a 

pig’s liver faggot, traditionally wet 

roasted or baked in the oven. 

Pembrokeshire faggots were traditionally 

made from minced pig’s liver and onion, 

mixed with breadcrumbs, suet, sage and 

seasoning. Faggots should be wrapped in 

caul (or placed in foil cups), placed in a 

roasting dish, surrounded with boiling 

water and wet-roasted for half an hour. 

Italian ideas: 

• Porchetta is a fantastic Italian dish that 

can be served hot or cold. On your menu, 

Porchetta will sound much more exciting 

than ‘roast pork sandwich’ which is, 

essentially, what it is! The pork is prepared 

with garlic, rosemary and other woody 

herbs and goes down a storm 

• A Tuscan favourite, Pork alla Fiorentina 

is a slow-roasted dish infused with fresh 

spices, namely cloves, rosemary and 

sage. Another high gross profit dish, any 

leftovers can be saved and served cold!

GRILL OR BARBECUE 

Defined as cooking by radiant heat, 

grilling allows the cooking of pork 

without any added fat or liquid. 

Grilling is the perfect method for recipes 

where the flavour of prime pork is the 

goal, or for healthy reduced fat dishes. 

Barbecues and chargrills cook by grilling, 

the destination of huge quantities of pork 

chops, steaks and kebabs, not to mention 

sausages. The rotisserie unit is also a grill, 

so we cover in this section the spectacle 

of the whole hog roast. 

GRILL THEATRICS 

Charring browns the meat at the 

surface giving a distinctive appearance 

and flavour. Flavour itself comes from a 

chemical reaction called the ‘Maillard 

Reaction’. 

These darker areas add consumer appeal 

to pork dishes. They contrast with the 

pale centre of a cooked pork cut, giving 

consumers the combined message of 

succulence and flavour. 

Sear pork at the hottest part of your grill, 

chargrill or barbecue, then move to less 

harsh areas to cook cuts through. 

Nearly 3 in every 4 barbecue occasions 

include sausages. What about pork 

rashers, steaks, chops, sirloins, T-bones, 

cutlets, bacon joints or kebabs? 

How to add flavour and variety through 

grilling 

Pork, and the grill, love the pungency of 

oil-rich, woody herbs like rosemary, sage 

and thyme. 

Pork marinates well and tastes great with 

a wide variety of flavours, so get 

marinating and give your grill a flavour 

treat. 

Marinades add character and benefit 

lesser-known, cost-effective pork cuts, 

transforming them into candidates for 

the grill, but judge it carefully; overmarinate 

and you risk toughening meat 

instead. 

Cooking for low-fat diets? 

• Grill on a rack and let the excess fat 

drip away 

• Accompanying pork with a mixture of 

tangy and sweet fruit adds flavour to 

even the leanest cuts

SERVES: 10 

600g Approx Pork sausages (10) 

300g Pig’s kidney, cored 

and washed 

300g Cherry tomatoes (40) 

250g Whole button mushrooms 

350g Streaky bacon (20) 

20g Sprigs of rosemary (20) 

50g Olive oil 

Garnish 

600g Bloomer bread 

350g Grilled halves of tomatoes 


BREAKFAST SKEWERS 


GRILL/ 

BARBECUE 

Prepare the items for the skewer by 

cutting the sausages into two equal 

pieces, wrap the cherry tomatoes with 

half a slice of bacon and cut kidneys in 

20mm dice. 

Using a rosemary sprig, skewer the 

ingredients alternately. 

Lightly brush skewers with oil and grill on 

both sides until fully cooked. 

Serve with toasted bloomer bread, grilled 

tomatoes or corn on the cob and wedged 

potatoes.

CUT SHOWCASE 

PORK SIRLOIN AND PORK 

TENDRONS 

Make trimming part of your best practice 


• Specify steaks to be cut to even 

thickness – helps cook evenly 

• Ideal for barbecues! 

• Stuff tendrons with tomatoes and 

black olives for a taste of the 

Mediterranean

18 

Tips for enhancing your grilled pork 

dishes: 

• Summer fruit salsa – fresh mango, 

peach, strawberries, coriander and lime 

juice 

• Aioli and basil drizzle 

• Fennel seeds (sprinkled just before 

the end of cooking) 

• Cranberry sauce and a good wedge 

of soft cheese 

• Caper sauce 

• Hummus mixed with natural yogurt 

and fresh chopped mint 

Spare ribs remain a hugely popular dish 

so try these variations: 

• Cajun – orange juice, lime juice, garlic, 

paprika and Cajun spice mix 

• Chinese – soy, rice wine, demerara 

sugar, garlic, paprika, root ginger, 

Chinese five spice 

• Moroccan – cumin, cinnamon, ginger 

and natural yogurt 

• Sweet and sour – oil, dry sherry, honey, 

wine vinegar and soy sauce 

Kidneys grill well too – some chefs advise 

soaking in milk before grilling and finish 

with maître d’hôtel butter. 

spare ribs IDEAS FOR GRILLING 

kebabs tendrons 

Marinate tendrons in: 

• Lavender, fresh ginger and soy 

• Orange juice and Madeira 

• Lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, 

thyme leaves and chopped onion 

• Oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic and 

light soy 

• Brandy and green peppercorns 

• Walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and 

rosemary 

Pork mince makes great burgers – 

add your favourite flavours and serve 

with lots of salad to balance the dish. 

Try: 

• Lime and coriander 

• Mango and hoi sin 

• Crunchy peanut butter, sesame seeds 

or chopped hazelnuts 

To help increase gross profit, bulk 

up kebabs with: 

• Apricots and mixed peppers 

• Pig’s liver and prunes 

• Sage leaves, shallots and button 

mushrooms 

Mini kebabs for starters? Turn pork mince 

into Greek or Turkish koftas. Pinchos 

Morunos are sticks of mini pork cubes 

highly seasoned with cumin and paprika, 

a legacy of the Moorish occupation of 

Spain. 

Try marinating tendrons in lavender, 

fresh ginger and soy.

FOR THE SUCCESSFUL AND 

SAFE BARBECUE… 

DO! 

Choose cuts with some fat for flavour – 

but not too much or you’ll create too 

many blackening flames. 

Brush lean pork cuts with a little oil 

before cooking – infused oils can add 

flavour. 

Check marinade ingredients carefully, 

those with high glucose contents tend to 

burn. 

Light the barbecue well in advance, burn 

and brush off any debris from bars or grill. 

Delay cooking until gas element is hot, or 

coals are glowing red with a grey powdery 

surface. 

Turn food regularly to ensure even 

cooking and make extra sure that food is 

cooked all the way through before serving 

(particularly minced food). It may help to 

cook meat in the kitchen, moving it to the 

barbecue for finishing. 

Always dip tongs into hot water (+82ºC) 

after each touch and turn of the meat, or 

clean tongs well with Alco-wipes. 

Wash hands after handling raw meat and 

use separate equipment for raw and 

cooked meat. 

COOKING MEAT 

When you cook pork as minced/chopped 

meat (for example sausages) and rolled 

joints, you should make sure that the 

centre of the meat reaches one of the 

following temperatures for at least the 

time given: 

60°C for 45 mins 



75°C for 30 secs 


Source: Food Standards Agency 


DON’T! 

Don’t put raw meat next to cooked. 

Instead add raw meat to one end of 

barbecue and transfer to the other end as 

it cooks. 

Don’t add marinades to cooked meat as it 

has been used already for raw. 

You can eat whole cuts of beef, lamb 

and pork when they are pink or rare. 

This is because any bacteria are 

generally on the outside of the meat so 

if the outside is cooked, this should kill 

any bacteria, even if the middle of the 

meat is still pink. 

Source: Food Standards Agency

20 

THE ROTISSERIE OR SPIT ROAST 

Rotisseries work on the principle of radiated heat to the meat’s surface in the same way 

as a salamander, and are therefore a form of grill. 

Their benefits: 

• Large pork joints can be cooked in full view of customers 

• Complete exterior crispness is achieved, a big plus for pork crackling fans! 

• For fattier cuts (pork belly for example), the fat drips away 

• Joints baste themselves 

• Cooking is easy to monitor 

The best pork joints for the rotisserie are boneless and the same 

depth along their length so that both ends cook evenly – 

a 10cm depth is perfect. An even fat layer helps the 

transfer of heat and flavour during cooking. 

Try! 

• Loin, boned and rolled – even shape, 

great crackling, very moist 

• Collar joint, rolled – economical cut 

and takes on flavour well 

• Easy carve leg, rolled – crispy crackling, 

succulent and easy to carve 

• Topside, rolled – great taste and moist 

• Belly, whole – juicy, works really well 

when marinated 

Probe! 

At any point when meat has been pierced 

during the cooking process, you need to 

probe to ensure sufficient cooking (see 

chart on page 19). 

whole hog 

Whole hog roasts 

While it is perfectly possible to cook an 

entire pig on a traditional barbecue, the 

electric or gas rotisserie or barbecue is a 

safer choice and easy to hire. 

Specify the pig size to suit your event. 

Sizes vary from 74kg for an average hog 

down to 10kg suckling pigs (which 

provide great theatre). 

To prepare – check that all hair has been 

removed, then prepare rind as for crisp 

crackling (see page 12). Leave the 

stomach cavity open for best results. 

Cooking times will depend on carcase 

size. 

Ensure you order enough as hog 

roasts attract a crowd!

FRY/SAUTÉ 

It’s quick, enhances flavour, seals in 

succulence, and is a particularly 

successful cooking method for pork. 

Pork steaks and chops lend themselves to 

shallow frying. Sweet and sour pork is a 

testament to the enduring popularity of 

deep-fried pork recipes. Sauté pork with 

herbs, stir-fry it with spices, griddle steaks 

or dry-fry for reduced-fat diets. The 

opportunities are endless. 

Don’t overcook pork 

For maximum flavour, fry quickly at first 

to brown the surface, then reduce heat to 

cook through. Roast pork actually has an 

advantage of being texturally softer and 

crumbly when overcooked which most 

consumers quite like. Offer your customers 

the choice of pork cooked the way they 

like it – pink, medium or well done. 

(Source: Bristol Roast Pork Leg Research, 

2002). 

FRYING FACTS 

Fry your pork lightly. Lightly cooked pork 

has a soft, easy-to-chew character, 

which is easily lost through overcooking. 

Consumers consider the steak as 

immediately more serious than the chop. 

Collar, shoulder, loin or leg steaks will 

impress your customers – make the most 

of the cut name as ‘cutlet’ almost always 

commands an acceptable price premium 

over ‘chop’! 

Even though pork contains as little as 4% 

fat, it doesn’t need added fat for frying: 

• Dry-fry pork for healthy salads and 

sandwiches 

• Remove any excess fat before service 

• Reduce oil used for frying – coat pans 

using fine oil sprays 

A proper 'pig's fry' consists of liver, heart, 

melts and lights (or lungs). In days gone 

by, the slaughtermen at smaller abattoirs 

would fry offal up for their breakfast 

which was so fresh that it was still warm. 

Presentation tips: 

Take off the rind from your steak for 

frying; it won’t cook and crisp up, in the 

brief time the pork is in the pan. 

Snip into the fatty layer as far as the 

meat, as this allows the meat to shrink 

without having it buckle and twist. 

The first side of a fried steak colours most 

evenly, so serve ‘first fried side’ face up. 

Add a touch of class to your menu – by 

simply slicing a piece of fillet you’ve got 

‘noisettes’, great for one-pan dishes.

SERVES: 10 

2kg Pork fillet 

40g Peanut oil 

Marinade 

160g Lime juice 

80g Honey 

30g Fish sauce 

180g Shallots, thinly sliced 

Salad 

8g Roast ground rice 

20g Coriander, picked and 

coarsely chopped 

16g Mint, picked and 

coarsely chopped 

160g Roasted cashew nuts 

400g Mixed leaves 

400g Green apples, thinly sliced 


THAI PORK SALAD 


FRY/ 

SAUTÉ 

Cut the fillet into 5mm strips and place in 

the marinade for 1 hour. 

Drain and retain the marinade. Heat the 

wok, add the peanut oil and sauté the 

meat for two minutes. 

Add the marinade back to the pan, bring 

to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Serve 

with remaining ingredients. 

NOTE: 

This can be used as a starter portion.

CUT SHOWCASE 

MINI BELLY RASHERS 

Separating the belly from the loin 


• Steam to tenderise, dry then fry 

• Ideal for starter or main course

24 

IDEAS TO FRY 

Classic pork coatings: 

• Braise belly block or rashers, wrap in 

wafer thin slices of air-dried ham – 

shallow fry with sage 

• For Saltimbocca, pork escalopes are 

more cost effective than veal – top 

escalopes with mozzarella, Parmesan, 

sage and air-dried ham 

• Battered deep-fried pork with sweet 

and sour sauce – now a British 

institution! 

• Flour small pork cubes, dip in egg and 

mustard, coat with breadcrumbs and 

deep-fry – simple but delicious. 

In Japan: 

• Gomoku Yakisoba translates as Five 

Flavoured Noodles – a lean pork and 

noodle stir-fry 

• Tonkatsu is a fruity sauce, served with 

deep-fried pork strips and raw 

shredded cabbage 

sauce reductions 

Quick sauce reductions – fry 

pork, remove from pan, reduce 

heat and add: 

• Shallots, cook until translucent, add 

chopped green olives and chillies, 

deglaze with stock and white wine, then 

stir in cream 

• Red peppers, garlic, black olives, basil, 

oregano and lastly, peeled quartered 

and plum tomatoes 

• Chanterelles or morels and cream 

• Raisins soaked in cider 

• Slivered blanched almonds and sweet 

Oloroso sherry (not cream sherry, it’s 

too sweet) 

• Sliced peaches or fresh halved black 

cherries 

• Lighten up sautés – substitute crème 

fraîche for cream – it’s cheaper too 

ALTERNATIVE 

CUTS FOR FRYING… 

Create a stir by giving pig’s tails the 

same treatment, they’re delicious with 

watercress and mustard leaf salad. 

Crispy pig’s ears must be boiled or 

steamed first, then slice thinly, dry and 

deep fry until crisp. 

Pig’s kidneys can be sautéed too – with 

mushrooms and lardons of bacon.They 

can be strongly flavoured, so prepare 

by skinning, halving, removing white 

central core and washing. 

Pig’s cheeks too make for great frying 

and offer a real point of interest on 

your menu. Try calling them mignons 

or medallions.

Great combinations 

for pork! 

• Peanut butter spiked with lemon zest, 

garlic, soy sauce, fresh chilli and ginger 

• Thai curry pastes and culinary sauces, 

there are some very authentic ones on 

the market – try red or green 

• Crème fraîche with wholegrain 

mustard and coriander 

• Pineapple, ginger and sweet chilli sauce 

• Black bean sauce with fresh ginger 

• Savoy cabbage and sesame seeds or oil 

• Water chestnuts, they give a great 

crunch 


Choron mustard (a classic accompaniment 

to fried pork) is a mix of French mustard, 

tomato purée and lemon juice. 

Apples, pears and juniper berries are 

classic pork partners, so why not flambé 

with Calvados, Poire William or even gin. 

The Spanish are big pork eaters 

and tapas make great starters. 

Try… 

• Flamenquines – deep fried, breadcrumbed 

rolls of pork loin, ham and 

béchamel 

• Albondigas – minced pork balls, fried 

and served with tomato sauce 

Polpettini are the Italian answer to 

albondigas. Meatballs are sometimes 

formed around cubes of Fontina 

cheese which melt on frying.

BRAISE 

Braising requires an oven and is a 

combination of stewing and baking. 

Braising is a particularly effective cooking 

method for cuts which have more 

connective tissue.The all round, even heat 

of the oven enables the slow cooking of 

larger joints.The long, slow, moist cooking 

tenderises the meat and infuses it with 

flavours from the cooking liquid or 

‘braise’. 

Pot roasting, a form of braising, places 

joints on beds of vegetables and cooks 

them slowly in a little liquid. 

BEST BRAISES 

Slow cooked dishes are enjoying a 

revival. Diners enjoy trying dishes that 

they would never attempt at home. 

Sear or brown the joint on all sides before 

adding your braise and transferring to the 

oven. 

Pot roasting braises joints on a bed of 

vegetables: 

• Use combinations of roots and herbs 

• Remember that the quality of your 

stock will determine the quality of your 

sauce 

Fat for flavour 

Throw in some pork belly or bacon pieces. 

Their intramuscular fat will gently release 

into the braise, thickening and enhancing 

it. 

Osso bucco is the shin (‘hock’) of the pig 

which when separated from the shoulder 

or leg can be sliced into portions. This is a 

cut still considered by some to be of no 

importance. Wrong! The osso bucco is 

becoming a very fashionable dish for 

many operations and is very economical 

but full of flavour and texture and is great 

for braising.

SERVES: 10 

2.5kg Belly of pork, 10cm x 10cm 

500g White wine 

500g Water 

55g Ginger, finely grated 

30g Garlic cloves 

250g Light soy sauce 

150g Muscovado sugar 

9g Star anise 

500g Orange, zest and juice 

10 Cinnamon sticks 

120g Spring onions, thinly sliced 

50g Sesame seed oil 

Garnish 

20g Red chilli, seeded and 

finely chopped 

20g Spring onion, sliced 

500g Japanese noodles 

800g Pak choi, whole 


BRAISE 

RED BRAISED BELLY OF PORK 

Place belly pork, white wine, water, ginger, 

garlic, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, orange 

juice and zest and cinnamon sticks into 

an ovenproof pan and cook for 2–3 

hours at 140ºC. Add the spring onion and 

sesame seed oil 10 minutes before the 

pork is cooked. 

Serve with noodles, steamed pak choi and 

chopped chilli and spring onion. 

Serving suggestion

CUT SHOWCASE 

DAUBES AND OSSO 

BUCCO 

Braising takes place in the oven, at low 

temperatures 


• Make sure your menu says ‘Pork 

Osso Bucco’ rather than ‘shanks’ – 

Osso Bucco commands a price 

premium 

• Sear then braise

30 

Braising is a method of cooking in the 

oven.The meat is cooked in a liquid (the 

‘braise’) and the pan, casserole dish or 

cocotte is covered. It’s a bit like stewing 

in the oven, or pot-roasting. 

There are two methods of braising – 

brown and white: 

• In brown braising, joints and portion 

cuts are marinated and then sealed in 

a pan on all sides. This locks in the 

flavour, keeping the joint moist 

throughout the cooking as well as 

adding the browned meat flavour to 

the braise. The joint is then placed on a 

‘trivet’ of root vegetables in the 

braising pan, along with the liquids and 

other seasonings, covered and left to 

cook slowly in the oven. 

• White braising involves vegetables and 

sweetbreads that are blanched, 

refreshed and cooked on this same 

root vegetable bed, using a white 

stock. 

• Braising delivers maximum flavour 

• Presentation can be varied and 

new flavours added to your menu 

• Older, less tender cuts and joints 

can be used (and give great 

% gross profit) 

IDEAS TO BRAISE 

Cajun cooking has its holy trinity – 

peppers, celery and onions – and so does 

braising. Carrots for their mildness, celery 

for savouriness and onions with their 

natural sugars. 

Braising doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Pepper, red wine and lemon juice added 

to browned pork is as simple as it can get. 

Go Mediterranean! 

Instead of the traditional vegetables, a 

sunnier combination could include: chilli 

paste, thyme, tomatoes, peppers, olives 

(black and green) and anchovies. 

In Italy, pork loin is rolled in chopped 

thyme, then braised in milk, tomatoes, 

leeks and celery. It’s called Maiale con 

Latte and is incredibly tender.The Spanish 

also braise pork loin in milk, with chopped 

onion, carrot, garlic and parsley. 

Pot au feu is as easy as combining pork 

loin, juniper berries, lemon zest, stock, 

garlic and seasoning.

Braising versatility 

• Prunes, raisins, dried apples or apricots 

can complement pork’s richness and 

succulence, infusing every bite with 

natural sweetness. Let them soften 

slowly in the braise and you’ll be very 

pleasantly surprised 

• Sultanas, ginger, swede and soy 

sauce…they all work in your pan 

versatility 

Herbs also work well – sage, thyme, 

parsley, rosemary.A bouquet garni, a glass 

of white wine and a good glug of stock 

makes a great yet simple braise. 

Glaze pork with honey, garlic, cider 

vinegar and marinate overnight. Sear the 

pork before braising. 

Rub a spice mix of paprika, sugar, chilli 

powder and pepper on your pork before 

browning and braising with vermouth, 

stock, cider vinegar and a little more 

sugar. 

Force a tunnel in a piece of fillet and fill 

with your chosen stuffing (onions, 

mushrooms and apples are good). Sear 

your fillet and braise with stock and some 

apple purée. 


Cider (and cider vinegar) works well with 

pork and combined with stock makes a 

great liquor for braising. A drop of cream 

or crème fraîche at the end adds 

indulgence. 

Sausages aren’t just for the barbecue. 

Marinate your pork sausages in wine, 

juniper berries and nutmeg then braise 

with onions, cabbage, prunes and ground 

cloves, cinnamon and sugar. 

Pig’s liver braised with bacon and onion is 

one of those British institutions that you 

either love or hate. The liver is braised 

whole (but with skin and tubes removed). 

KEEP AN EYE ON THE FAT! 

When stewing cuts of meat, there can be 

too much fat rendered into the braise. It’s 

tempting to remove the fat from the 

meat before starting but this could 

impact upon texture and taste so try to 

use this trick. 

Remove the cooked meat from the dish 

so that excess fat can be skimmed off 

with a spoon and the remainder soaked 

up by carefully placing an absorbent 

kitchen paper onto the surface.You’re left 

with all the flavour and only minimal fat.

STEW 

Stewing is the gentle simmering of pork 

pieces in the liquid in which they are to 

be served. It is both nutritional and 

economical. 

As one of the most widely cooked 

ingredients in the world, there are a 

myriad of ingredients and flavour 

combinations which are delicious stewed 

with pork. 

For those cooking to tight budgets, stewing 

is economical in terms of labour, because it 

is easy to cook in bulk. Stewing is 

particularly suitable for cost-effective cuts 

of meat, breaking down connective tissues 

and tenderising cuts that would be less 

succulent roasted or grilled. 

GREAT STEWS 

With consumers spending less and less 

time on meal preparation at home, slow 

cooked dishes can appear more of a 

treat than fried or grilled prime cuts. 

When is a stew a braise? Stewing takes 

place in a brat pan or in a covered dish in 

the oven or on a hob. Braising requires the 

all round heat of the oven. 

Although stewing is about slow, gentle 

cooking, you should start the process by 

searing. The Maillard Reaction promotes 

natural sugars in the meat and its protein 

to react to form flavour compounds, 

colour and aromas which are then 

released into the sauce during stewing. 

Don’t forget to deglaze your frying pan 

with stock or wine. 

Bones in your stew will help to thicken the 

sauce. If your pork is boneless, see if your 

butcher will let you have some extra rind to 

add to the pot. Its gelatinous characteristics 

will enhance the stew yet further and the 

fat acts as a natural sauce emulsifier, no 

messing around with beurre manié! 

However, note that if your stew ‘boils’ the 

fat causes the sauce to go cloudy. 

Stews are very cost effective in that they use 

up ‘spares’ – leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, 

parsnips, turnips… Nothing need go to 

waste if your imagination is exercised. 

Visible excess collagen should be 

trimmed but collagen within pork 

naturally thickens and adds gloss to 

sauces during stewing.

SERVES: 10 

2kg Pork collar, 3cm dice 

20g Rosemary (3 sprigs) 

25g Garlic purée 

60g Olive oil 

20g Jalapeño peppers, 

seeded and finely diced 

800g Chopped tomatoes 

2g Cracked black pepper 

200g White wine 

20g Brown sugar 



STEW 

ITALIAN STYLE GOULASH 

Heat olive oil in an ovenproof pan. Add 

the diced collar and seal. Add the garlic, 

rosemary, jalapeño and black pepper, pour 

in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add 

the chopped tomatoes and sugar. 

Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer. 

Cover and cook at 140ºC in an oven for 

21 ⁄2 hrs or until tender. 

Serve with freshly cooked tagliatelle and 

Mediterranean vegetables.

CUT SHOWCASE 

DICE AND CUBES 


• Use cuts with a little intramuscular 

fat (marbling) to keep moist during 

cooking 

• Don’t dice/cut too small to avoid 

breaking up, flaking and over-cooking 

• Sear then stew 

• Don’t waste the bones, save them for 

stocks or sauces

STEWING SOLUTIONS 

The North Africans know a thing or two 

about stews. Spicy pork tagine harnesses 

dried apricots, onions, chickpeas, orange 

zest, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, allspice 

and of course, fresh coriander. 

Some Hungarians rub cubed pork with 

plenty of paprika, which when fried forms 

a brown crust. This crust provides the 

distinctive roasted flavour of classic 

Goulash, which is then diffused through 

the sauce during stewing. 

• What we call Goulash is known as 

Pörkölt in Hungary. Our word 

Goulash is a corruption of the 

Hungarian word Gulyás, a type of 

soup 

• The Hungarians have depended on 

pork for centuries but Pörkölt is a 

relatively modern dish; the first 

Hungarian reference to Paprika is in 

1820 

Curries have become a British 

institution. Pork commonly forms the 

base for Tikka Masala or Goan Vindaloo. 

Start from scratch or use one of the 

increasing number of culinary sauces 

designed for foodservice. 

curries 36 

“Pork is a grossly misrepresented 

meat. The health benefits of pork 

are not adequately publicised - 

people think that pork means fat, 

that pork means unhealthy but it 

doesn't have to be. It has good 

flavour, good taste - the rare 

breeds have a lot of character and 

people like to ask us about them. 

I take the whole carcase, I'll use 

the ribs for something, the neck 

for something… we will use every 

part of the animal here. It's such a 

diverse meat, you can use it in 

many preparations.” 

cyrus todiwala mbe 

Tamarind spice comes from the pod of 

the fruit of the tamarind tree. Combine 

with fresh chopped chilli and coconut 

milk to turn pork Thai. 

Rub the outside of your pork with 

turmeric before searing and stewing – 

great flavour, great colour! 

Chantarelle, porcini and truffles all make 

great additions to pork casseroles. There 

are plenty more varieties to choose from.

stews 

You can stew more than 

cubes: 

• Fold in half and tie belly pork slices – 

one ‘tendron’ will present and eat 

really well on top of some mash 

• Casserole stuffed pork parcels and 

you’ve made pork olives 

• Try some of the stuffing ideas on 

page 13 

• Pork cutlets stew well – the bones help 

to thicken the sauce 

• Little pork meatballs are stewed the 

world over. Russian Pojarski taste great 

and cost little to make 

In La Mancha, Spain, they wrap trotters 

and boil them whole, before boning them. 

The trotters are then filled with 

mushroom stuffing and served with 

mashed potatoes. 

A recipe for ‘Old English liver and bacon 

hotpot’… Fill casserole with alternating 

layers of sliced pig’s liver and chopped 

bacon, sliced apple and onion, mixed with 

breadcrumbs, parsley and marjoram. 

Season layers as you go and add stock 

before cooking. 

soups 


Dumplings add another 

dimension: 

• Make them full of the flavours that go 

best with pork: caraway seeds, 

coriander, dill, garlic, rosemary, sage, 

fennel, savory or thyme 

• Stuff prunes with walnuts and add to 

your casserole 20 minutes before the 

end of cooking 

• Suet crusties were traditionally served 

with bacon stewed in cider, but taste 

great with other stews too. Make with 

one quantity of suet to double the 

quantity of self-raising flour, season, 

mix to a soft dough with water and 

baked in the oven until crisp 

Some soups: 

• Oriental pork and noodle – a clear 

soup flavoured with lemon grass and 

lime juice 

• Japanese pork and vegetable soup 

combines strips of pork belly with such 

obscure delights as gobo, konnyaku, 

mooli, kombu seaweed, sake and white 

miso 

• Pork forms the base of Chinese hot and 

sour soup

PORK PRODUCTS 

It used to be said of the pig, that the 

only part not used was the ‘Oink’. The 

same is still true today. 

Most of a pig’s carcase can be used for 

prime pork cuts. Traditionally, much was 

cured for safekeeping as bacon, gammon 

or ham. 

Whatever can’t be sold as prime finds a 

home in sausages and burgers. Blood goes 

into black pudding and offal into pork 

pâtés and terrines. 

Sausages history 

Homer mentions sausages in his work ‘The 

Odyssey’.Written over 2,700 years ago: 

The English term ‘sausage’ comes from 

the Latin ‘salsus’, meaning ‘salted’. 

One of the first rules of meat preparation 

involves trimming. Properly trimmed 

meat prevents your customers from 

returning plates with excess fat, sinew 

and gristle on the side. Trimmings can be 

minced, used for sausages or at worst, for 

stock. 

SAUSAGE FACTS 

• It was during the reign of Charles I that 

sausages were divided into links for the 

first time 

• Sausages got the name ‘bangers’ during 

World War 1, when they exploded due 

to their huge water content! 

• The world’s longest sausage, made for 

British Sausage Week in October 2000, 

weighed 15.5 tonnes and was 35 miles 

long 

• Sausage machines can fill sausages at a 

rate of 1 1 /2 miles per hour 

• Casings are still made from pig’s or 

sheep’s large or small intestines, but 

reformed collagen and cellulose casings 

are now more common 

• We British consume over 175,000 

tonnes of sausages a year, costing over 

£487 million 

• The premium sausage sector grew by 

over 24% in 2003. Consumption growth 

is greatest amongst men aged 17 – 24 

years 

• 90% of British households buy 

sausages, 50% at least once a month. 

That means 5 million of us a day 

consume this humble product 

• We spend an average of £22.24 per 

year, per household just on sausages 

• Saturday is ‘sausage day’ – this is when 

we eat them most 

• The British Sausage Appreciation Society 

has over 6,000 members 

Source: Sausages – A Category Report, MLC 2003

SERVES: 10 

1kg Pigs’ kidney, cored and washed 

100g Mustard (Dijon style) 

150g Shallots, finely diced 

200g White wine vinegar 

200g Butter 

800g Double cream 

50g Olive oil 

10g Tarragon, finely chopped 

1.1kg Potato and chive cake (10) 



PORK 

PRODUCTS 

KIDNEY DIJONNAISE 

Cut the kidneys into 3cm long strips. 

Gently fry shallots in olive oil for 2 

minutes. Add the prepared kidneys and 

fry for a further minute. Add the white 

wine vinegar, tarragon, cream, mustard 

and butter. Bring to the boil, simmer for 2 

minutes. 

Serve on a baked potato and chive cake.

40 

SAUSAGE CHOICE 

There are over 400 varieties of sausage 

available today, many named after the 

places where they were originally made. 

Are you making the most of your local 

banger? 

Some regional favourites: 

Cumberland 

Chunky, coarse cut sausage, seasoned 

with black pepper and sold unlinked but 

curled 

Lincolnshire 

Medium grain, herby (sage or thyme) pork 

sausage 

Gloucester 

Traditionally made with Gloucestershire 

Old Spot pork, sage and apples 

Marylebone 

A tradition among London butchers, 

made with mace, ginger and sage 

Oxford 

A pork/veal mix with added lemon, sage, 

savory and marjoram 

Welsh 

Pork flecked with green leek 

Suffolk 

Coarse chopped sausage with sage and 

thyme 

The art of sausage making 

bangers 

• Wild boar sausages – darker and 

gamier 

• Black pudding and white pudding (a 

Scotch delicacy made usually from 

various pig offal and pearl barley, 

oatmeal or breadcrumbs) 

How about investing in some sausage 

making equipment and training? Profits 

will soon pay off the investment. 

COOKING SAUSAGES 

• To prick or not to prick? This is not a 

problem in premium sausages today – 

so cook slowly and evenly, but don’t 

prick them and risk the escape of 

flavoursome juices 

• It is very important to cook sausages 

thoroughly as bacteria may have 

reached the centre of such products 

during manufacture. Core temperature 

cooking should ensure destruction of 

such bacteria (see page 19) 

• Grill sausage kebabs – skewer eating 

apples (skin on), sliced sausages, sage, 

onions and peppers 

• For spicy sausage casserole – brown 

chilli sausages, top with onions, 

peppers, sliced tomatoes, season, dot 

with butter and oven cook for an hour

BASIC RECIPE 

900g Lean pork 

400g Hard pork fat (back fat) 

100g White breadcrumbs 

Seasonings, e.g. sage, thyme, 

allspice 

Mix together and fill casings! 


• Bake sausages with red onions and 

glaze with marmalade half way 

through cooking, or revisit Toad in the 

Hole – baked sausages at their best 

Some salads: 

• Sausage and potato salad with 

crumbled cheese and fresh herbs 

• Sausage and apricot couscous salad 

• Sausage, warm red pepper and rocket 

American diner slang: 

• ‘Hounds on an island’ means sausages 

and beans 

• ‘Zeppelins in a fog’ equals bangers and 

mash 

Bread alternatives: 

• In pitta with tzatziki 

• On naan bread with sweet curried 

mayo dip and cucumber raita 

• In tortillas with guacamole, tomato 

salsa and sour cream 

• Instead of fried onions and tomato 

ketchup, introduce sun-dried tomato or 

onion bread 

Mash with a difference: 

• Add garlic and black pepper, red onion 

and basil or puréed beetroot to mash 

• Substitute some or all the potatoes in 

your mash with sweet potato, 

pumpkin, parsnip, squash, chickpeas or 

celeriac 

• Serve sausages on potato or rosti 

pancakes as well as mash!

Child friendly dishes: 

• Mini toads in the hole can become 

galactic flying saucers 

• Safari pasties – little pastry parcels of 

sliced bangers and beans 

• For sausage dippers – cut along 

sausage, insert stick of cheddar, wrap 

with bacon 

• Cowboy bake – sliced sausage and 

onions, braised in baked beans and 

topped with mash 

• One pan sausage pasta – fry 

chipolatas, add tomato pasta sauce, 

baked beans, sweetcorn, quick cook 

pasta and simmer. Top with grated 

Cheddar and serve 

In fact, sausages are so much a part of 

British life and so universally enjoyed 

that there is an annual ‘British Sausage 

Week’, normally the last week of 

October each year! 

CURED PORK 

There is a surprisingly wide variety of hams, 

bacons and gammons to choose from and 

plenty of ways for the caterer to use them. 

Ham came traditionally from the cured 

leg of pork. Shoulders too can be cured 

but are not technically hams. 

Traditional British hams such as York, 

Cumberland and Bradenham, are dry 

cured. This entails sprinkling salty cure on 

the skin and rubbing it repeatedly into 

the cut side of the ham. Cure ingredients 

include: sugar, treacle, vinegar, beer, 

spices, mustard and pepper. Traditional 

dry curing can take up to 7 days, followed 

by a further 7-10 days hanging. Some 

hams are also smoked over oak. 

ham 42 

Much of the commercial ham is nowadays 

injected with the cure and smoke flavours, 

resulting in moister meat which is 

different in character from traditional dry 

cured ham. 

Air-drying is another curing method used 

for ham – with the help of some modern 

heating and fan systems, there is now 

some very convincing air-dried ham 

produced in the UK as well as elsewhere 

in the EU. 

Air-dried ham with poached eggs is 

delicious, and much lower in fat than a 

traditional breakfast fry up. 

Cooking ham 

Hams make popular additions to buffets 

or carveries. Soaking is no longer 

necessary for modern ham joints. To 

cook – place in fresh cold water, bring to 

boil and simmer until correct core 

temperature is reached or simply roast. 

For cold hams, allow to cool in the 

water, cut away rind, dry and cover fat 

surface with brown bread crumbs. Hot 

hams are removed from hot water 

before the end of cooking, glazed, then 

finished in a hot oven. Glazes are often 

based on brown sugar with additions 

such as cloves. 

Other uses for hams include stuffings, 

mousses, soufflés, pâtés, pancake fillings 

and omelettes. 

Croque monsieur. Simple but delicious – 

ham and cheese in a sandwich fried in 

clarified butter, not oil.

acon 

Classic sauces for hot ham 

include: 

• Cumberland 

• Madeira 

• Port 

• White sauce with parsley 

Sweet pickled fruits 

complement cold ham: 

• Damsons 

• Peaches 

• Greengages 

Bacon is cut from the 'side' of the carcase 

and the gammon from the hind leg. As a 

caterer it really is worth paying extra for 

good quality bacon as it becomes very 

difficult to brown or crisp rashers of poor 

quality. 

Cooking bacon and gammon 

Whole gammon joints should be roasted 

at 130°C until the safe core temperature 

is reached (see page 19). 

Think beyond breakfast for the true 

potential of bacon. Bacon and fried egg 

muffins make great breakfasts, but what 

convenient ‘comfort food‘ for room 

service, brunch or kids’ menus. 

BACON IDEAS 

Bacon costs little but adds loads of 

flavour to soups: 

• Pumpkin and bacon 

• Bacon and leek 

• Old English ham soup made with ham 

stock, yellow split peas, carrots, onions 

and garnished with chopped ham and 

parsley 

gammon 


• Welsh Cawl Cennin, a leek broth made 

with ham stock and seasonal vegetables 

• Don’t forget to garnish soups with 

crumbled, crispy bacon 

Warm salads for summer 

menus: 

• Bacon, chicken liver and spicy mixed 

leaves 

• Bacon, goat’s cheese and toasted pine 

nuts 

Ideas for cubed gammon: 

• Crispy gammon, Savoy cabbage and 

soy stir-fry 

• With broad beans, parsley sauce and 

gammon (a common combination in 

traditional British regional cooking) 

• Warming winter casseroles with lentils, 

pearl barley, split peas or butter beans 

Back to breakfast but with a 

difference: 

• By sautéing sliced onions, stirring in 

marmalade and a little vinegar, create 

a great addition to bacon or gammon 

• Marsh Pards were 17th century gypsies 

who lived in the fens. Marsh Pards’ relish 

(sautéed tomato and grated cheese) was 

used to top thick rashers of fried bacon 

Ever thought about making your own 

bacon? There are plenty of companies 

who sell simple-to-use packs of cures 

to make your own. 

Fidget Pie is a shortcrust pastry pie 

filled with bacon or ham, potatoes, 

apples and stock. Fantastic!

44 

PORK PÂTÉS AND TERRINES 

Pâté turns up on so many menus. Most buy 

it in ready made, but if you want to offer 

customers some more unusual pâtés ‘made 

in our own kitchens’, here are some ideas: 

• Lincolnshire Haslet: a coarse pâté made by 

mixing minced pig’s liver and heart with 

onions and sage. Packed into a lined terrine 

dish and baked in a moderate oven 

• Sussex farmhouse pâté: belly pork, half 

its weight in bacon and in pig’s liver, plus 

onions, wholewheat breadcrumbs and 

plenty of fresh mixed herbs. Mince 

ingredients, pack into lined terrines and 

bake slowly in a bain marie 

• Country loaf: mince equal quantities of 

raw gammon, sausage meat and pig’s 

liver, with onions, garlic, herbs (including 

bay) and brandy. Line terrine dish with 

bacon rashers, pack in pâté and bake in a 

bain marie 

• Sausage meat terrine: the inclusion of 

apricot and pistachio makes a delicious 

combination 

Kidneys are incised at the abattoir as part of 

the stringent Meat Hygiene Service checks 

that establish whether the pork is fit for 

human consumption 

In Goa, Sorpotel is a classic pork dish, slowcooked 

and then eaten 3 or 4 days later.The 

dish uses the liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, 

blood, lungs and the pork meat itself. 

PORK BRAWN (10 portions) 

750g Pig’s cheek meat with rind on 

750g Pig’s head meat (ears, brain, 

snout removed), leave rind on 

500g Pig's trotters (split in half) 

2kg Pork bones 

4g Ground black peppercorns 

10 Cloves 

2g Dried marjoram or oregano 

2g Ground mace 

4 Bay leaves 

20g Fresh sage 

10g Fresh thyme 

10g Fresh rosemary 

25g Parsley sprigs (include stalks) 

500g Onions, whole 

600g Large carrots, large rough-cut 

600g Shin of veal/beef 

600g Knuckle of veal 

Pickled Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork and Foie Gras Terrine 

Courtesy of Sonia Fitzsimons 

Bring to the boil then skim the surface of 

the liquid regularly during the first 5-10 

minutes. Simmer for 4 hours, topping up 

with water as required. Once cooked 

thoroughly (meat should fall off any 

bone), strain the cooking liquid into a new 

pan, discard the bones, trotters, 

vegetables and herbs and bring to the 

boil. Reduce the cooking liquor to less 

than half its original volume and pass 

through muslin. Meanwhile, remove the 

rind from the meat and discard, then cut 

the meat into small pieces. Place the 

meat in a large bowl and stir in enough 

stock to cover, mixing well. Pour the 

mixture into large terrine moulds, cool 

and refrigerate until set. To serve, invert 

the terrine on a plate and ease out the 

brawn. Slice the brawn and serve with 

salad, potatoes and some good bread.

A pig’s breed, lifestyle and age 

at slaughter work together to 

determine the character and 

quality of the pork it provides, 

as does the treatment of the 

carcase at the abattoir and 

butcher. To serve great pork, 

choose your supplier with care, 

provide detailed specifications 

for each purchase, then ensure 

correct handling and cooking in 

your kitchen. 

WHICH SUPPLIER/BUTCHER? 

The surest way to secure a consistent supply 

of good quality pork is to build up a longterm 

relationship with a good butcher or 

meat supplier. Always explain the nature of 

your business to your meat supplier. Invite 

them to dine, so that they understand your 

needs and become part of the team. Visit 

their operation too. 

Always provide suppliers with detailed 

specifications when ordering your meat. 

They should be willing and able to source, 

cut and trim pork to your detailed brief, and 

to provide all the information that you 

require about your pork’s provenance and 

history. 

If you wish to purchase BPEX Quality 

Assured Pork, you will need to buy from an 

approved supplier. If your current supplier is 

not approved, encourage them to seek 

approval via BPEX or the offices of an 

approved scheme. 

BUYING, SPECIFYING & HANDLING PORK 45 

BUYING , SPECIFYING & HANDLING PORK 

WHICH PIG? 

The main factors determining the quality 

and characteristics of the pork that you 

receive are: breed, age, lifestyle, maturation 

and packaging. 

BREED 

Pig breeds fall into two categories – 

modern and traditional. 

Modern pig breeds are the result of 

selective breeding for high lean content 

and litter productivity. This makes them 

less expensive to produce than the 

traditional breeds, and the obvious choice 

for caterers on restricted budgets. 

Selective breeding of these modern 

strains has reduced the fat content of 

British pork by more than a third over the 

last 20 years, to only 4% on average, 

making them an attractive protein 

proposition for chefs in the health sector 

or those catering for low-fat diets. 

The Duroc and Hampshire have the best 

reputation among the modern breeds for 

eating quality. Pietrain crosses are 

popular for their high yields of lean meat, 

but the purebred Pietrains are rare. 

Traditional breeds are smaller animals, 

producing smaller litters and take longer 

to grow, all factors that push up the price 

of their meat. However, with growing 

consumer interest in traditional foods, 

the use of ‘traditional breed’ pork can 

boost sales and provide a real point of 

difference on the menu. Tamworth and

46 

Berkshire pigs are renowned for their 

eating quality, providing particularly firm, 

dark muscle and white fat. 

“Pork dishes are always very 

popular, I find Middle White pork 

is very tender and gives a much 

deeper flavour than is usually 

associated with pork. I have been 

using traditional and rare breeds 

for over five years and I ensure that 

customers are aware of the type 

and origin of meat on our menus – 

it tends to encourage them to try 

something different from what 

they would normally eat at home.” 

john campbell 

executive chef 

SOME PIG BREEDS 

MODERN 

Generally larger than traditional, moderns 

have high lean content. 

British Landrace Duroc 

Hampshire Large White 

Welsh 

TRADITIONAL 

Less common, small, less fast growing: 

more expensive! 

Berkshire Tamworth 

British Saddleback Gloucestershire Old Spot 

Large Black Middle White

AGE 

Younger pigs produce more tender pork, 

which cooks quicker. As pigs age, their 

flavour increases but their muscle becomes 

firmer. 

In Britain most Quality Assured BPEX Pigs 

are slaughtered between 5 and 7 months 

of age. This is younger than is common 

practice in much of Europe and explains 

the relative infrequence of boar taint in 

British pork. The term boar taint describes 

an abnormal odour and flavour generated 

during the cooking of pork from older 

males. 

Traditional breeds take longer to mature 

so are usually older at slaughter. 

LIFESTYLE 

The BPEX Quality Scheme recognises the 

importance of lifestyle to pig welfare and 

to pork quality, hence strict guidelines on: 

feed standards, housing, stocking 

densities and veterinary medicines. 

Chefs looking for other guarantees may 

consider purchasing Organic Pork produced 

under legislative requirements which 

exclude feed additives and most drugs. 

Organic food is increasingly popular with 

consumers, many of whom are prepared 

to pay a premium for it. 

However, caterers who buy certified 

organic meats and wish to describe them 

as organic on menus must first seek 

further organic certification through one 

of the 10 UK organic certification bodies. 

husbandry 


INDOOR/OUTDOOR? 

The majority of British pork is produced 

indoors, and of the pigs born outside into 

extensive rearing systems almost all will 

be ‘finished’ indoors. Conditions in British 

indoor systems are well regulated and 

well enforced. Tethers and stalls have 

been banned in the UK since 1999. 

A sharp increase in outside pig production 

is predicted as consumer demands for 

meat from animals reared in wide-open 

spaces grows. Producers and retailers 

claim that their ‘outdoor’ pigs provide 

better eating quality and welfare 

standards. However, almost all pigs spend 

time indoors at some stage of their life. 

AT THE ABATTOIR 

BPEX Scheme abattoirs are heavily regulated 

and regularly inspected. This is important 

for pig welfare and also for the quality of 

pork produced. 

Muscle quality is best when the animals 

are unstressed at slaughter. Correct 

handling of the carcases and careful 

quality control procedures have all but 

eliminated quality problems in BPEX 

Quality Assured Pork.

48 

The maturation period is made up of time 

‘hanging’ as a carcase and time maturing 

in vacuum packs after butchery. 

Hanging takes place in a cool, dry 

environment at the abattoir or butcher 

and is important for eating quality. 

During hanging, and subsequent 

maturation, natural enzymes act on the 

fibres of the muscle meat, improving 

tenderness and enhancing flavour. 

There are two methods of carcase hanging, 

the traditional Achilles method, and the 

newer hip (aitch bone) suspension now 

recommended by the MLC for improved 

tenderness. Pork should hang for less time 

than other red meats because the muscles 

are relatively tender and fresher pork 

tastes best. The optimum maturation time 

for BPEX Quality Assured Pork is 12 days, 

although significant sensory tenderness 

can be achieved in only 4 days with aitch 

bone hanging. 

hanging MATURATION 

Vaccum packaging remains the preferred method for foodservice 

PACKAGING 

Packaging is important for the safe, clean 

and easy transport of pork cuts. It affects 

the maturation process, holding in 

moisture and excluding air. 

Different packaging options include: 

• Vacuum packaging. The preferred 

option among caterers, it works by 

forcing air out of the pack. Shelf life is 

determined by conditions under which 

meat was packaged but is longer than 

the other commonly used methods 

• Polythene bags are the least expensive 

option but shelf life is shorter 

• Overwrap trays (light gauge PVC 

stretched across an expanded 

polystyrene tray) are low cost, but can 

be prone to leakage, have a short shelf 

life and perform poorly when frozen 

• Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) 

– meat is packed under high O2 and 

CO2 levels, preventing spoilage and 

providing better colour of meat

TRADITIONAL OR SEAM 

BUTCHERY? 

There are two main types of butchery: 

• The tradition in the UK has until 

recently been to cut the carcase 

following the bone structure, thus 

mixing muscles with different 

characteristics in one cut giving a 

variety of eating qualities and textures, 

some better than others 

• Seam butchery comes from the 

Continent, but is used increasingly in 

the UK and has been continually 

developed by MLC’s butchery team 

• In seam butchery, the carcase is cut 

according to muscle position and the 

natural ‘seams’ 

The advantages of seam butchery 

include: 

• More consistent cooking and eating 

quality because cuts include just one 

continuous muscle rather than one or 

more with different structures 

• Better portion control 

• Little or no plate waste 

• Easier carving of joints 


A QUICK NOTE ON FAT 

Trimmed BPEX Quality Assured Pork can be 

as low as 4% fat. Some fat is necessary for 

good flavour because many flavour-bearing 

molecules are soluble in fat, but not in 

water. Fat also keeps the meat moist and 

succulent while it cooks. 

More than 50% of the fat present in 

pork is unsaturated; the type that is 

better for you and associated with the 

healthy Mediterranean diet. 

If you are catering for reduced-fat diets: 

• Ask your butcher to trim to a specified 

fat level 

• Use healthy cooking methods such as 

dry frying or grilling on a rack 

• Trim off any remaining fat before service

50 

LABELLING 

Pork suppliers to the catering industry must 

by law label their meat with certain, 

accurate information. This is set out below 

alongside additional useful information, 

which any good butcher should be happy to 

provide on request. 

REQUIRED BY LAW 

DESIRABLE INFORMATION 

EXAMPLE ONLY 

EXAMPLE ONLY

SPECIFICATIONS 

Supplying accurate, detailed specifications 

for all pork purchases saves time and money. 

It ensures that you receive pork: 

• Of the quality, style and price to suit 

your needs 

• Cut, trimmed and ready to cook, saving 

kitchen time and reducing waste 

The example below provides the framework 

for clear and comprehensive pork purchase 

specifications. 

BPEX 

PORK PURCHASE SPECIFICATION 

EXAMPLE ONLY 

Cut Name Pork chunky 

Caterers Code XXXXXXX 

Carcase 


Note: You are not obliged to accept meat 

that is ‘off spec’. Send it back and get your 

supplier to redeliver (or change the 

supplier). 

Abattoir/Slaughter BPEX Quality Standard Approved Premises 

Carcase Origin UK 

Weight 60kg 

Sex Female 

Trim Level Fat thickness should not exceed 10mm at any point 

Butchers Specification Thick Flank Muscle 

Sliced across muscle grain into leg fillets, thickness 2cm 

Cross-score surface at 1cm intervals 

(See pull-out table for other pork cuts or better still 

Portions 

supply a photograph) 

Number 40 Portions – one chunky per portion 

EXAMPLE ONLY 

Portion Weight 0.35kg + - 10g 

PHOTO 1 

PHOTO 2 

Packaging Vacuum packed in batches of 10 and labelled with: 

Kill date, Pack date, Use by date (min shelf life of 7 days), 

Name of cut, Pack weight, Portion weight, Country of 

origin, Supplier details. 

Temperature 

Storage 1 – 4ºC 

Delivery 1 – 4ºC

52 

HANDLING PORK 

Regularly check pork supplies on delivery: 

• Record the delivery temperature to 

ensure it’s within your specification 

(preferably 1º - 4ºC) 

• Check that the label matches the meat it 

accompanies as well as your specification 

• Skin should be clean and undamaged 

with no bruises or lacerations 

• Fat level should not exceed specified 

requirements 

• Flesh should be pink, firm with a fine 

texture and shiny but not damp, weepy 

or slimy 

• Check the quality of butchery, e.g. no 

deep incisions 

SAFE HANDLING 

Food businesses should always keep raw 

and cooked foods apart in all areas 

(manufacture, storage and display), to 

ensure that there is no cross contact with 

common surfaces and equipment. For 

chefs and caterers this means: 

• Never cool cooked meats on surfaces 

that are also used for raw meats 

• Never store cooked meats next to or 

below raw meats 

• Never handle cooked and raw meats 

without thorough hand washing with 

anti-bacterial soap 

• Never use the same surfaces for cooked 

and raw products 

• Wooden surfaces should not be used for 

cooked meats or meat products 

• Never use the same equipment and 

utensils for cooked and raw meats 

• Always cover cooked meats in storage 

• Never lift raw food over cooked 

• Have separate wrapping, slicing and 

weighing areas for raw and cooked food 

• Use serving tongs to avoid touching 

cooked meat 

STORAGE 

Store meat below 5ºC to inhibit the 

growth of food poisoning bacteria. These 

bacteria grow fastest at 37ºC. 

Store meat in its packaging to maximise 

shelf life.Any use by dates become invalid 

once the meat is unpacked. 

USE BY DATE 

It is illegal to sell food after its ‘use by 

date’. However a caterer may prepare a 

dish using meat, and sell that dish after 

the ‘use by date’, provided it is safe for 

them to do so, since the date marking 

applies to the meat, not the product 

made from it. It is illegal to alter or 

remove a ‘use by date’ without written 

permission from the person that applied 

that date.

MINIMUM COOKING TIMES 

AND TEMPERATURES 

Cooking meat 

When you cook pork as minced/chopped 

meat (for example sausages) and rolled 

joints, you should make sure that the 

centre of the meat reaches one of the 

following temperatures for at least the 

time given: 






You can eat whole cuts of beef, lamb and 

pork when they are pink or rare. This is 

because any bacteria are generally on the 

outside of the meat so if the outside is 

cooked, this should kill any bacteria, even 

if the middle of the meat is still pink. 

Source: Food Standards Agency 

An independent review carried out for the 

MLC by Campden and Chorleywood Food 

RA stated that ‘reducing end point cooking 

temperatures improves eating quality of 

pork’.The research also found that cooking 

pork to achieve a minimum internal 


temperature of 71ºC is sufficient to ensure 

the destruction of bacteria that cause food 

poisoning. This research is supported by 

guidelines from the Department of Health 

in the UK. 

MLC recommends that for whole pork cuts 

and joints, chefs offer customers the choice 

of their pork cooked rare, medium or well 

done, just as they would with other red 

meats as long as the meat has been seared 

on the outside to kill any bacteria. However 

rolled joints, sausages, burgers and other 

processed pork products must be well 

cooked at their centre to kill off any 

bacteria that might have found their way 

there during preparation or manufacture. 

A probe thermometer is the most 

reliable way to test internal meat 

temperatures. Always clean the 

thermometer thoroughly before and 

after probing food 

RE-HEATING PORK 

• Meat should be re-heated only once 

• Meat sold hot should be kept above 

63ºC prior to sale 

• Hot food should be re-heated until piping 

hot (to at least 82ºC at its core – 

Scotland only)

54 

SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION 

Association of Independent Meat 

Suppliers (AIMS) 

T 01609 761547 F 01609 761548 

E info@aims2001.co.uk 

www.aims2001.co.uk 

British Pig Association 

T 01223 845100 

E bpa@britishpigs.org 

www.britishpigs.org 

British Pig Executive 

T 01908 844368 F 01908 844289 

E bpex@mlc.org.uk 

www.bpex.org.uk 

British Meat Processors Association 

(BMPA) 

T 020 7329 0776 

E info@bmpa.com 

www.bmpa.uk.com 

British Sausage Appreciation Society 

Contact MLC 

Department for Environment Food and 

Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 

T 08459 335577 

E helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk 

www.defra.gov.uk 

Food Standards Agency (FSA) 

T 020 7276 8000 

www.foodstandards.gov.uk 

Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) 

T 01908 844114 F 01908 671722 

E foodservice@mlc.org.uk 

www.mlcfoodservice.com 

National Association of Catering 

Butchers (NACB) 

T 020 7248 1896 F 020 7329 0658 

E info@nacb.co.uk 

www.nacb.co.uk 

Rare Breeds Survival Trust 

www.rare-breeds.com 

The Soil Association 

T 0117 929 0661 F 0117 925 2504 

www.soilassociation.org 

MLC offers a number of courses 

including: 

• The Meat Appreciation Course – the 

recognising and understanding of 

different cuts of pork and the product 

characteristics of those cuts. It also 

covers the handling of meat to ensure 

that quality is maintained 

• The Meat Cookery Course covers 

cooking techniques for pork. Attendees 

learn to cook for tenderness and 

flavour 

• The Butchery Skills Course is both 

practical and technical and is designed 

to provide a full understanding of both 

traditional and seam butchery 

techniques 

• Bespoke training courses, created to 

meet the needs of individual catering 

organisations

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BUYING & PREPARATION OF PORK 

Carvery roast 

Collar roast (boneless) 

Collar steak 

Collar rasher 

Collar daubes 

Loin and belly roast (middle) 

Loin roast (boneless) 

Rack roast 

Loin T-bone 

Loin T-bone chops 

Cutlet/rib chops 

Loin steaks or rashers 

Double loin or valentine steaks 

Loin eye rashers 

Brasserie steaks 

Fillet (tenderloin) 

Belly roast 

Belly slices or rashers 

Belly blocks 

Tendrons 

Spare ribs 

Carvery leg roast 

Mini joints 

Leg steak (topside/thick flank) 

Rump/chump steak 

Daubes (topside) 

Cushion (thick flank) 

Chunkies 

Shank/knuckle 

Osso bucco 

Trotters 

Stir fry strips 

Cubes and dice 

Lean pork mince 

Kidney 

Liver 

Whole hog 

Suckling pig 

Use shoulder block (collar removed). Remove all bones except hock. 

Trim meat of excess fat and gristle. Roll and tie. 

Remove collar from shoulder block, remove the thin tail muscles. Roll collar and secure 

with string or roasting bands before cooking. 

Remove collar from shoulder block, remove the thin tail muscles and square up both ends. 

Slice steaks to required thickness. 

Remove collar from shoulder block, remove the thin tail muscles and square up both ends. 

Thinly slice to required thickness. 

Prepared from a boneless, fully trimmed collar, divide collar lengthways and cut into required 

portion size, secure with roasting bands 

Sheet bone the ribs and vertebrae from middle. Remove rind and fat from full width of loin eye. 

Wrap belly round loin into a roll and tie. 

Remove the fillet and bones from the loin. May have rind left on or off, secure with string and 

cut to required joint size. 

Use rib section of loin. Remove rind and vertebrae. Then expose the rib tips (larder trim) by 

removing meat, the fat, and associated intercostal muscles. 

Cut from lumbar section of the loin (bone-in). 

Cut from lumbar section of the loin (bone-in). Cut chops between the cartilage disks of 

the lumbar section of the loin. 

Cut from rib section of loin. Remove vertebrae and larder trim the rib ends. 

Portion cutlets between the ribs. 

Remove bone and rind from loin. Cut slices thin for rashers and thicker for steaks. 

Remove bone and rind from loin. Cut partially through the first slice and fully through the 

second slice and open out. 

Remove all fat and gristle from a boneless loin. Slice evenly into thin rashers 

Remove bone and rind from the loin, cut into double thick steaks and tie into rounds. 

Removed from the inside lumbar region of the loin. 

Separate the belly from the loin. Remove bones and rind from the belly. Roll, tie and cut 

to required size. 

Separate the belly from the loin. Sheet bone and de-rind belly. Slice thin for rashers, thicker for slices. 

Separate the belly from loin. Remove bones and rind from belly and cut belly into 

squares of required portion weight. 

Separate the belly from loin. Remove bones and rind from belly, fold lengthways to produce 

U shape and secure with bands and slice to required portion weight. 

Sheet bone ribs from belly. Split ribs. 

Prepared from the whole leg and chump. Remove all bones, topside and thick flank muscles and 

internal fat and gristle. Hock may be left on or off, rind on or off. Secure with string. 

Produced from fully trimmed topside, silverside, thick flank and chump muscles. Cut into required 

size joints and secure with roasting bands. Rind may be added to joint if required. 

Prepared from fully trimmed topside or thick flank muscles. Cut evenly to required thickness. 

Prepared from boneless chump, rind on or off. Slice to required thickness. 

Produced from fully trimmed topside muscle. Cut into required size portions and secure with 

roasting bands. 

Prepared from a fully trimmed thick flank muscle and secured with roasting bands. 

Prepared from fully trimmed leg muscles (topside/silverside and thick flank and chump). 

Cut to required portion weights. 

Removed whole from the leg, rind on or off. 

Prepared from trimmed and de-rinded shank. Cut through the bone into two even sized portions. 

From fore or hind quarter. Trotters removed through natural joint. 

Produced from any muscles suitable for frying. Fully trimmed of fat and gristle. 

Prepared from lean muscles, fully trimmed of fat and gristle. 

Prepared from lean muscles, fully trimmed of gristle and a visual lean of 75%. 

Specify weight and grade when ordering 

Specify weight and grade when ordering 

R 

RPB 

FGQ 

FGQ 

FGSQ 

RPBTG 

RPBTG 

R 

R 

FGQRG 

FGQRG 

GFQ 

FGR 

FG 

RBF 

FG 

RPBT 

GQ 

BF 

GQ 

GQ 

R 

BR 

FGQ 

FGQ 

B 

B 

BFGQ 

B 

B 

B 

F 

BFGQ 

FGQ 

BF 

B 

G 

GR 

££ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

££ 

£££ 

£££ 

£££ 

£££ 

££ 

£££ 

£££ 

£££ 

£££ 

££££ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

££ 

£££ 

££ 

£££ 

££ 

££ 

££ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£££ 

£££ 

Ideal shape for portion control. 

B BRAISING F FRYING G GRILLING P POT ROAST R ROAST S STEWING Q BBQ/CHARGRILL T ROTISSERIE 

£ BUDGET CUT ££ MID PRICED CUT £££ PRIME CUT 

Very acceptable to a wide range of flavours, ideal for Chinese and Greek dishes. 

A long, slow moist roasting method works best with collar. 

Best braised, marinate to add flavour. Steam first to tenderise, then finish off on 

BBQ or griddle. 

Shallow fry, sauté, griddle. Marinate to add flavour, great on the BBQ! 

Take care not to overcook. 

Marinate to add flavour, ideal for slow, moist methods of cookery. 

Ideal for rotisserie cooking, may be stuffed. Great for use in buffets. 

Undercooking appears to give better tenderness and juiciness. 

Serve with beef accompaniments. 

Superb all round cut, great for roasting. 

Can be served rind on or rindless. Serve with accompaniments. 

Shallow fry, grill or sauté. Cooked to preferred degree. 

Shallow fry, grill or sauté. Ideal for BBQ. 

Shallow fry, sauté or griddle, ideal for BBQ. 

Shallow fry, sauté or griddle. Fry flat or may be stuffed and folded back into steak. 

Shallow fry, sauté or griddle. Can be used in sandwiches or on a salad. 

Ideal for fine dining. Shallow fry or sauté. For thicker cut steaks, reduce heat after 

searing to cook through. 

Ideal for fine dining, shallow fry or sauté slices. 

Great for rotisserie cooking. Otherwise, roast on a trivet of vegetables and 

bones so fat can drip away. 

Grill on a rack to allow excess fat to drip away. Remove excess fat for barbecues. 

Ideal for slow, moist cooking processes, may be marinated, great on the BBQ! 

Slow cooking gives best results. Works well on the BBQ. 

Do not overcook to maintain succulence. Great on the BBQ! 

Boneless cut with a good shape for cooking and portion controlled slicing. 

Individual portions can be cooked to preference. Line the joints up on a spit for 

impact. Can be served as a sharing dish for two people. 

Shallow fry or sauté. Works well on the BBQ. 

Shallow fry or sauté. Works well on the BBQ. 

Ideal for braising. 

Braise whole and serve with chunky vegetables. 

Score chunkies to aid cooking. Diagonal score for better presentation. When frying 

thicker cuts, reduce flame after searing to cook through. Ideal cut for BBQ. 

Best braised with rind off. Steam cook and roast. 

Can be produced from fore and hindquarter. 

Can be stuffed with sausage meat and black pudding. 

Shallow, stir-fry or deep-fry. Coat before deep-frying to prevent sticking together. 

Large dice (2cm), fully trimmed of fat and gristle. Shallow or deep-fry. Great for the 

BBQ but make sure wood kebab sticks are soaked to prevent burning (or use 

rosemary twigs). 

Form into meatballs, koftas and burgers. Fat at 75% visual lean can help with taste 

and texture. Shallow or stir-fry. Great for the BBQ! 

Soak in cold water or milk to remove unpleasant taste. First skin, halve, core, soak 

and then sauté! 

Rinse in cold water. Remove major veins before using and cooking. 

Great for rotisserie cooking. Allow enough time to cook through and order enough! 

Great for rotisserie cooking. Allow enough time to cook through and order enough! 

5 -10kg is the optimum weight.

an introduction - Pork For Caterers - BPEX

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