Pork joint in the freezer - is it ok?

Evening all.

My missus, having realised I get lots of useful info from you lot, has asked me to ask you all a question.

Apparently there is a pork joint in the bottom of our chest freezer. Its been there for 3 months now (I'd forgotten about it).

Will it still be ok?

 

If it was fresh when it went in then no problem. Just thaw it out slowly and fully before cooking.

If it was on or close to the sell-by date (at the time of freezing) then there may be an issue.

 

Excellent. Looks like sunday dinner some time this week then.

It was in date when we froze it (we bought two or three at the same time, used one straight away and froze the other(s)).

I'll make sure it is fully thawed before we cook it, then do it in the slow cooker, but finish it in the oven on full whack to get some real heat into it, or the other way round.

 

NA Nar
Waht aboot the cracklin man

Jack McH

 

We never get crackling when I cook it. I know I'm going wrong somewhere, but I'm never sure if you're supposed to start it hot and then slow it down, or cook it slow and then incinerate at the end.

 

Just make sure it doesn't have freezer burn?

My parents went on holiday about 3 years ago, and I left the freezer door open the first day they had been gone, oh, the fun

 

Thaw meat, dry off with kitchen paper bu dabbing. Now take a handful of salt and rub it into the fat with your fingers..if done right your fingers will be a little sore from the abrasion. Your crackling will be all nice and crisp now when the meat is cooked.

Steve...

 

Fats can still go rancid in the freezer, but if it smells ok then you'll be alright.

 

As a BTW: you'll find it difficult to get crackling on any pork joint that's been frozen - it's all to do (so I'm told) with the ice crystals altering the water content and thus, the skin will need to be thoroughly dried, and not just with a bit of kitchen paper, but either 'air dried' for a good 24 hours or by the judicious use of a blow torch.

 

Mmm...I love cracklin but unfortunatley my teeth don't !!!!:(

 

I find that if the crackling isn't crackling, then about half an hour before the cooking time is up, slide a sharp knife between the crackling and layer of fat on the joint. Don't sever it completely - leave it so it is a bit like a book page if that makes sense!

Also, I always pour a kettle of boiling water over the skin before drying completely and rubbing in the salt. This makes the rind contract and makes better cracking (IMHO)! I do the same with duck

 

Look out Heston.
New flaming star rising!

 

we used to buy meat in bulk in south africa and had a large chest freezer ... we'd buy a hind quarter (beef), a whole lamb, a medium sized pig, several kg of boerewors (south african sausage), oxtail and several chickens

the meat freezes fine for up to 6 months (but we used to entertain often/BBQ's, so it was consumed in a much shorter time ... and south africans are renowned as big meat eaters (some eat meat seven times a week) .... I lived on the coast (right on the beach), and in my opinion, fish should be consumed on the same day as it is caught or bought, as it does not freeze well

for pork, let it defrost complety, (take it out of the freezer the night before) ... let it dry properly, remove the rind/fat but place it back (loose) ontop of the joint ....

add sunflower oil to the crackling/pork joint .... add course sea salt or rock salt, course ground pepper and whatever spices you use ....

place the joint in the oven on 200 degree C ... and cook slowly till the meat is done, then remove it from the pan ...

wrap the meat in tinfoil (shiny side facing inside), and place the pork crackling ontop of the wrapped meat.... cook for another half hour or so

remove the tinfoiled wrapped meat from the oven and place in the warming draw .... place the oven on grill, and grill the pork crackling till golden brown and crispy ... takes a few minutes and must be watched all the time or else it will burn

job done