Roast leg of pork - help!

[John]

We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!

I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7 hours.

The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.

Any suggestions?

[canetoad]

Post by John
We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!
I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7 hours.
The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.
Any suggestions?

The bone helps it cook evenly, as it gets hot. A few well placed metal
skewers through the thickest bits may help too.

Hard to tell how long - depends on your oven, but better to over than
underestimate the time. You can always let it rest in a turned-off oven
for quite a long time.

Some water, stock or wine in the bottom of the dish during the first few
hours will help keep it moist and assist with thorough cooking (the
steam) let it dry up towards the end.

[ant]

Post by canetoad

Post by John
We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!
I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7
hours. The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.
Any suggestions?

The bone helps it cook evenly, as it gets hot. A few well placed metal
skewers through the thickest bits may help too.
Hard to tell how long - depends on your oven, but better to over than
underestimate the time. You can always let it rest in a turned-off
oven for quite a long time.
Some water, stock or wine in the bottom of the dish during the first
few hours will help keep it moist and assist with thorough cooking
(the steam) let it dry up towards the end.

Excellent ideas! And add to the skewer trick, larding. put strips of fat
through the meat. Fat gets hot and cooks things faster, while keeping things
moist (fatty!). using steam is a great trick. If you have some of that
new fangled cooking paper, that can be artfully employed around the meat
with string.

[FarmI]

Post by John
We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!
I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7 hours.

I use 45 mins/lb for leg of pork so I guess your timing is right.

Post by John
The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.
Any suggestions?

Get up early if you plan to eat it in the middle of the day. :-))

[ant]

Post by FarmI

Post by John
We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!
I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7 hours.

I use 45 mins/lb for leg of pork so I guess your timing is right.

Post by John
The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.
Any suggestions?

Get up early if you plan to eat it in the middle of the day. :-))

Or half cook it before, then do the rest on xmas day. (too late now of
course).
an old restaurant trick.

[ant]

Post by John
We have just got our Christmas leg of pork - 8.7 kg!
I have calculated the cooking time based on 50 mins/kg as over 7 hours.
The lass behind the counter said it will take at least 5 hours.
Any suggestions?

I watched that pom Jamie thing tonight, being vaguely normal for once. He
reckoned 35 minutes for every kilo.

I'd wrap it up in something and do it slow, with a blast at the last hour.
Dunno if they make oven bags that big though. Not a pork fan (at all).