The Best Pulled Pork - probably

 It's taken a few years and a number of tries but I think I may have found my most favourite recipe for pulled pork and here it is. 

Credit to wellplated.com as the recipe is based on their's. 

Ingredients

2kg - boned shoulder of pork (rind off)

1 red onion - chopped finely

1 small can - tomato puree

80ml - Apple cider vinegar

80ml - clear honey

60ml - water

2tbs - dark brown sugar

2tbs - Worcestershire sauce

2tsp - paprika

2tsp - minced garlic

2tsp - mustard powder

2tsp - chipotle paste

1tsp - salt (plus some for seasoning the pork)

ground black pepper

1tbs - cornflour

Method

1. Place all of the ingredients excluding the cornflour in the slow cooker and mix thoroughly.

2. Season the pork with salt and pepper, rubbing into the flesh. 

3. Place the pork in the slowcooker and cover in the mix.

4. Cook on high for 1 - 2 hours turning every 30-45 mins. 

5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until tender and the pork falls apart. 

6. Separate the meat into a separate bowl and shred with forks. I also remove the excess fat. 

7. Strain the juices into a small pan on the hob. Add the cornflour. Mix over a medium heat until it thickens. 

8. Pour the thickened juice over the pulled pork and serve warm. 

80/20 White Brown Bread

 I have played about with bread for just over 12 months and think I have finally found the sweet spot. 

Flour - well it has to be good and fresh and must be bread flour but a mix of 80% white and 20% wholemeal helps to provide texture and a little flavour whilst keeping up the fibre for a good diet.

Yeast - goes without saying it needs to be "fresh" but when I say fresh I mean within the used by date and ideally as soon after buying as possible. I tend to use quick dried yeast (very fine balls) and keep it in the fridge. I suspect the fridge does very little but it makes me think I can keep it for longer!

Oil / fat - I use a good first press olive oil. It's relatively light and fresh and adds a little flavour to the bread whilst helping to maintain structure and keeps for longer. 

Sugar - white works for me. To be honest I haven't tried anything else so can't comment!

Salt - white again seems to work and I haven't tried anything else but I have reduced the amount very sightly. Partly to be a little healthier and partly because I think it helps the bread grow a little faster / better. 

Water - always use filtered water - unless you know that your water is as clean as it comes. I am sure it doesn't really matter but if you can remove the fluorides and chlorides along with the metals and pollutants I am sure it's better! a mix of one third boiling hot with 2 thirds cold ensures you get the temperature right for the yeast. 

Vitamin C - I suspect you don't need this and I am honestly not sure if ie makes a difference. I have tried various amounts and settled on just half a teaspoon. More seems to make the dough sloppy / wet, less can cause a less favourable structure. I am confident that it helps the bread stay fresher for longer. 

So hear is what I do:

Ingredients

300g - White Bread Flour

200g - Wholemeal Bread Flour

7.7g - quick easy yeast

12g - salt

15g - sugar

1/2tsp - vitamin C (dried ascorbic acid) 

55g - Olive Oil

160g - cold water

80g - boiling hot water

Method

1. Measure and mix the dry ingredients (white flour, wholemeal flour, quick yeast, salt, sugar, vitamin C) in a mixing ball and mix. I used a Kenwood Major as I can leave it kneading whilst I do other things!

2. Measure and mix the wet ingredients (cold water, oil and boiling water) in a measuring jug using a whisk. 

3. Pour the wet ingredient mix into the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough. 

4. Knead for between 15 and 20 minutes. It needs to have a smooth silky and stretchy feel to it. The more you knead it, the stronger the structure and that will help with texture. 

5. Oil a bowl that is about twice the volume of the dough. 

6. Place the dough in the oil bowl and cover with cling film. Allow the bread to prove for around 2-3 hours (or until it's doubled in size).

7. Take the bread out of the bowl and form it into the shape you want. This process of knocking back is expected to make the bread about half the size of the proven bread. It will rise again :-).

8. Cover the bread with oiled clingfilm or a damp cloth - loosely so that the bread can rise again. 

10. Leave the bread to rise for between 1-2 hours. 

11. When the bread has doubled in size (again), place in a pre-heated oven and cook for between 25 and 30 mins.

Jam and Oaty Almond bars

 Jam and Oat Bars

Confession - I googled what to do with left over jam and found this recipe and adapted it slightly as I went a long (surprise, surprise sighs my wife in the background) :-)  

Things you will need and approximate quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 packed cups brown sugar
• 1 large egg - I actually used 2 UK sized eggs - partly because I dropped half of one down the side of the mixing bowl!
• 2 tsp almond extract - there was a little more in the bottle so I used it up!
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds - didn't have any of these but I did have some blanched almonds that I blitzed!
• 12 ounces sour cherry jam - I used a jar of seedless raspberry jam

You will also need:

• a large cooking tray - I used one that was about 20 cm by 30cm (9in by 12in)
• some baking paper - enough to line the tray!
• a food mixer - you could do it by hand but you'll need muscles!
• an oven set to about 180 deg celsius

How to make them

1. Set the oven to 180 deg C (I'd say put the oven on but I know people who would say it doesn't fit).
2. Line the baking tray you have selected with greaseproof paper / baking paper.
3. Cream the butter and sugar.
4. Beat in the egg(s) to the creamed butter and sugar.
5. Add the almond extract.
6. Mix the flour with the baking powder and then add to the mixture slowly.
7. Fold in the oats and almonds.
8. Set aside about a third of the mixture.
9. Use the remaining two thirds of the mixture to evenly cover the base of the lined baking tray - smooth over once covered.
10. Spread the jam over the base - evenly.
11. Crumble the remaining third of the mixture over the jam randomly !
12. Bake in an oven for about 25-30 mins or until the top starts to go golden brown.
13. Cool on a baking tray. 
14. Cut into slices. 
15.