This recipe is inspired by the Chapolard family from Gascony in France’s south west. In 2012, I spent a month working on growing my charcuterie craft with the Chapolards at their farm. We would sit down to eat lunch together every day and this scotch was a simple dish that was put on to cook in the early hours of Monday morning before we went to the abattoir to collect the pigs. When we returned home for lunch this delicious pork neck was waiting for us.
These pork necks from Western Plains Pork are fantastic for wet roasting. Wet roasting gives you the best result with this cut because you can get the caramelisation from the heat of the oven but also the moisture retention from the stock underneath. You also get the most amazing sauce from the pan juices for no extra effort!
In this recipe we've done some preparation for you; the scotch has been tied and brined in a salt solution to penetrate seasoning into the muscle.
The meat will literally fall apart when you follow this recipe.
5 medium size kipfler potatoes washed, peeled and cut into 2cm discs
350ml cider
2L chicken stock
Sea salt flakes
Pepper
Olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Peel and cut the onion into thick 1cm discs and lay on the bottom of your roasting dish with the garlic cloves, sprigs of sage and kipfler potatoes. Season.
Remove the scotch from the vac bag and sit on the onions.
Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and pepper.
Pour the stock and the cider in the bottom of the tray, the liquid should cover the onions and the underside of the scotch. After the pork has cooked for 20 minutes or so the onions will soften and the scotch will be further submerged in the stock.
Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven.
If you turn the scotch every 30-40 minutes you will encourage caramelisation all the way around the muscle. Total cooking time will be about 4 hours or until the pork falls away from itself.
Once the scotch is cooked remove from tray and remove the strings.
Pull apart into large pieces and serve on top of the potatoes and onion.
Pour the reduced cidery pork juices over everything and enjoy!
Recipe Note
Recipe requires 300mm roasting dish or tray that just fits the scotch
