A little trip to the Butcher

 ,,, for a stock up on the meat front.

Today we have purchased a small rolled Loin of Pork for dinner this evening, have also bought the bones home, which will be roasted and form the basis of a stock.   They will be put into one of the slow cookers to extract the goodness with some various veggies that need using up.  Cannot waste them or the goodness in them.

Very much looking forward to this.  It was a very good price.

Serving it with mashed potatoes, shredded steamed cabbage, petit-pois, calabrese, carrots, roast potatoes, onion and courgette.  Yum.  

Today, I have chosen not to add lard to the roasting pan as I still have plenty of dripping for roasties and do not want to overload the poor old fridge!  Perhaps will do next time we have a bit of Pork.  Normally as a rule either the first or second week of December, I buy in a piece of pork especially for making the dripping for over Christmas.  I like either Pork or Goose fat for these, but will not pay through the neck for it.  Quite happy to do this as the result is really good.  Especially if you pop some onion into the roasting tray or shallots or pickling onions as they caramelise and help the potatoes brown.  Plus gives the juices more flavour, which makes wonderful gravy. The bonus is you can eat them as well.  Just my way of doing things.

The crackling is starting to crisp up nicely.  Mind you for the first 45 minutes I have on Gas mark 7 to help with the crisping it is then turned down to about Gas Mark 5. I have popped a minimum amount of salt on today just to give a little bit of extra crispness.

The joint is now cooked and put to the side on a carving plate to cool down and let the meat juices absorb.  The roasties are part-cooked too.  They are put back into the oven to complete cooking.

The roasties, courgette and onion all cooked.

This is what I did with the veggies.

Potatoes blanched for the roasties.

Yes we have Brussel Sprouts too.  We like them. There was also shredded steamed and buttered cabbage.  No photo taken.

Potatoes prepared for mashed potato.

Dinner was very tasty.  For a change I cleaned everything up.  

We then had Apple crumble and custard for pudding.  Sorry no photos of that.

Anyway, as usual I digress.  I shall never go to heaven!

They also had Gammon hocks in today as well, for £4 so one of those has come home with me as well.  It is an economical staple that my family have used for years.  Have not seen either Pork hock or Gammon hocks in the supermarket or the Butcher's when we have been in but very glad to see them as it is a cheap way of providing a filling for sandwiches during the week and also providing good stock for soups, casseroles, (if canned for the Pantry shelf), and for stews, gravies and sauces.

Sausage and Bacon for himself for breakfasts/and or occasional meal.  Always buy more chipolatas as use them in meals such as Toad in the Hole, as well as using as a side to go with a roasting joint.

1lb of Mince for a Lasagna or a Cottage Pie.

Chicken thighs for a Chicken Curry together with the appropriate sauce, which we also bought out of the fridge at the Butcher. It is a Tikka Masala sauce.

On the veggie front have also come away with a Celeriac, Sweetheart Cabbage, Cooking apples (fallers at 50p per kilo), Brussel Sprouts, Courgette, Carrots, Leeks, a Head of Broccoli.

So plenty to go at food wise for the week.

Am going to have a busy week this week.  Tomorrow is washing day.  

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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