Friday, October 4, 2013

Enchaud Perigordine - Pork Roast a la Corningware

I think it's time to take a trip back, not too far, but far enough I should think.  Back to a time when the dinner table was not complete without a huge roast as the centerpiece of the table.  Maybe my perception is slightly skewed about this, but I personally, hardly, if ever, roast roasts.  I mean, it's usually only me, myself and I for dinner, and all of us put together can't possible eat our way through 3 lbs of meat.  Not gonna happen, my friends.

That is why it's so nice to have people over for dinner.  You get to exercise your "large portions" muscles.

Let's face it, a well executed Roast makes for a stunning table.  Tonight, I decided on a classic French Pork Loin Roast in the style of Perigord.  Though I cheated again.  I didn't have a trotter (pig foot), so I used the recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I had seen on the PBS which utilized Gelatin to thicken the sauce, since there would be no gelatin cooked out of the foot.  (I knew there was a reason I had saved that to the DVR).

Usually, and by that I mean "Classically" this roast is slow cooked in a big old enameled cast iron dutch oven. (as well as being stuffed with sausage and truffles, but HEY, who has truffles?)  WELL, lemme tell ya somethin'....  A 4 or 5 quart Corningware Dutch Oven works JUST as well, if not better, than a big, fancy $250 Le Creuset or Staub pot. I'm just sayin'.  Personally, I think it's easier to clean too.  But that is probably because I am a little bias. (but I really DO hate cleaning my enameled cast iron skillet)

Corningware actually made several versions of the Dutch Oven or Large Casserole/Saucepan, whichever you prefer to call it.  There is the original 4 quart P-34-B, (some later ones were marked as 5 quart, but the size is the same)

the 4 quart P-84-B, (That I just used for Boiling Ravioli)

and later there was the 5-liter A-5-B. (Shadow Iris)

I think there might even be an A-4-B, but I have not seen one in person, and I don't collect A-series pieces.

Either of these pots will work exceedingly well.  If, however, you are using the P-34-B, keep the stove flame a little lower during the browning process.  The walls of this original 4 quart "Dutch Oven" are thinner than the later P-84-B and A-5-B models.

OK, let's argue semantics  Technically, this is not really a "roast".  Roasting, by definition, means dry heat and this recipe contains liquid, so it's really a braise, not a roast.  Then again, we, in the U.S., refer to large chunks of meat "Roasts" even before they are roasted.  So the argument can be made that while this Roast isn't being roasted, the mere fact that it IS a Pork "Roast" makes it a "Roast", whether roasted, braised, broiled, stewed, sous-vide or deep fried.

Enchaud Perigordine

French Style Pork Loin Roast with Apple and Onion (Adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

2 TB Butter, divided
10 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin
2-3 lb Pork Loin Roast (bone out)
1 TB Salt (this seems like a lot, but it's not really)
1 tsp Sugar
Black Pepper
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 TB Olive Oil, divided
1 Newtown Pippin Apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Sweet Onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay
2 sprigs fresh Thyme or 2 tsp dried Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
1 TB Unflavored Gelatin
optional - 1 TB Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped

2 Grab-It Bowls (P-150-B) with 1 Glass Lid
4 or 5 Quart Dutch Oven (P-34-B, P-84-B or A-5-B) with Glass Lid (P-12-C or A-12-C)

Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle portion of the oven and preheat to 225F degrees. (You read that correctly, only 225 degrees - it's ALL about low and s-l-o-w)
In the Grab-it Bowl (P-150-B) melt 1 TB Butter over low flame.

Add 1/2 of the sliced Garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, until the garlic just begins to turn golden (this is really more of a poaching, since the butter isn't super hot).

Cover with the Glass Lid and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the roast from it's wrappings and Double Butterfly the Roast so it will fold up like a letter or a tri-fold wallet.

Sprinkle each side with 1/2 TB of Salt and rub it in until the surface become tacky.

With the fat side down, sprinkle the top (what will be the inside after folding) with the Sugar, then remove the Garlic Butter from the refrigerator, and spread it over the inside of the Roast as well.

Fold the Roast up, keeping the fat side down.

Tie it up with kitchen twine, spacing the ties about 1 inch apart.

 
Season with Black Pepper and Herbes de Provence. (I skipped the Herbes de Provence this time)

Begin heating 1 TB Olive Oil in your 4 or 5 quart Corningware Dutch Oven...  If using a P-34-B (like I did), use Medium-Low flame, if using P-84-B or A-5-B, go ahead and use Medium flame.

Brown the roast on three sides (Not the bottom where the twine is tied) starting with the Fat side. (about 6-8 minutes total)

Remove from the Dutch Oven to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 TB Olive Oil to the Dutch Oven along with the Onion and Apple and cook for 5-7 minutes, just until the onions begin to brown.

Add White Wine and the Bay leaf along with the Thyme and the remaining Garlic.

After about 1 minute, place the Roast back in the Dutch Oven, Fat side up.

Cover with a piece of Aluminum Foil and then place the lid on top. (I found that this was not really necessary)

Move the whole thing to the preheated oven.

Grab another Grab-it Bowl (P-150-B), or wash the one you made the Garlic Butter in, and place 1/4 cup of Chicken Stock then sprinkle with 1 TB Gelatin, allowing it to bloom while the roast is cooking.

Braise for 50 minutes, then check the internal temperature to ensure it has reached 140F degrees in the center. If not, braise about 10-15 minutes longer and check again.

When the braised Roast reaches 140F Degrees, extract the Dutch Oven from the Oven (hee hee), move the "Roast" to a plate and tent loosely with Aluminum Foil.

Measure out the liquid (along with the apples and onions) in a pitcher, if you have less than 1 1/4 cups, augment with more chicken stock and add the contents of the pitcher back to the dutch oven and set over Medium-Low flame.

Add the Gelatin mixture and 1 TB Butter.

Stir until the Gelatin melts and the sauce begins to simmer.

Remove from the flame and pour into a gravy boat for passing around the table.
When the Pork Loin has rested, slice into 3/4 inch pieces.

Serve with Gelatin fortified sauce.

With Squash Streusel and Sauteed Baby Greens, your good to go.


A moist tender and delicious braised roast that is perfect for a chilly Autumn meal.

Where is your Corningware??
~~

3 comments:

  1. Picked up a A-5-B at a garage sale today. The lid is chipped but will do. Also a MC-1-B. with no lid. Interesting hobby you have lured me into!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry for luring you in... But I must say, I love those MC pieces. I only have an MC-1, but there is an MC-2 that is slightly larger. The nice thing, if you have the lids, is that there are dimples in the lids that the feet on the bottom will fit into, so they stack well in the refrigerator for storage.

    Some of the French white is double marked. It has the original embossed F# on it with a printed MC-4 or 6 depending on whether it is the divided casserole or the grill pan.

    :-)

    Congratulations on the A-5-B Sorry bout the lid being chipped, but if it becomes a problem later, the A-12-C and P-12-C (which will fit as well) are usually fairly cheap at the Goodwill and Salvation Army (like $1.00) My mom uses a P-12 lid on her A-5-B because it has more of a dome shape than the A-12 lid (which is more flat). She says is circulates the steam better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ya know, since you brought it up... I suppose I should do a post on the MC line

    ReplyDelete

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