Does the Sunday roast need a shake up? Oliver Gould, currently chef at West Australian hotspot The Shorehouse, known pork enthusiast and a onetime GT Best New Talent nominee for his stellar work at Melbourne’s Stokehouse, talks us through his favourite cuts, cooking tips and making the most of our tasty porcine friends.
What’s your pork philosophy?
I believe in using the whole animal. I like to balance prime cuts with smaller components like a pork cutlet and pig’s head kromeski or a little sausage out of the trotter casing with mince.
And the nose?
Snout’s a tough seller.
What’s your favourite cut?
The main cuts you’ll find in a grocery store are loin, cutlet and chop but if you go to a market you’ll find a little more variety and more consistent quality. The shoulder is the most versatile because it’s easy to braise or roast. I like to confit it at a really high heat almost like a deep-fry then I let it steam in its own moisture before picking the meat off the bone. I press the shredded meat into little rillettes bricks with Dijon mustard, lots of garlic, onion, thyme and foie gras to really amp up the flavour.
Pink in the middle or cooked through?
I prefer cooking pork to medium because it keeps it juicy and tender.
What are the tell-tale signs of quality for you?
Typically it’s a matter of colour and freshness. A nice light pink and a bit of white fatty marbling throughout the meat is always good. You can determine how fresh the meat is by feeling the moisture on the flesh. If it’s dry – not sticky – it’s generally a sign that it was cut close to when you bought it.
Top chop?
Berkshire is the best.
The Shorehouse, 278 Marine Pde, Swanbourne, WA, (08) 9286 4050, shorehouse.com.au
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