Crediton Pig Club update

We met on Monday 19th September 2016 and were treated by Ruth Beckley (of Ruth's Real Food) to a session on curing and smoking pork. Everyone went away with some goodies! During our meeting we talked about the Oxford Sandy and Black pigs which have been reared in 2016 and how well they are doing with two smallholders near Shobrooke. Some members of the Pig Club have been visiting the pigs who enjoy fallen apples and other leftover vegetable produce (thanks to Morrisons Supermarket for their support). Altogether there are 14 pig sharers who have committed to half or quarter shares and they have been paying a monthly sum through Sustainable Crediton since April this year. Everyone now has the job of deciding on size of joints and other pieces of pork that they want to receive in their share. Butchery arrangements have been made with the local Crediton butcher, AJ Cox, where the fresh pork will be collected in October and taken home straight away for freezing.

At our meeting Ruth provided instructions on the curing of pork and showed us how to measure out a dry curing mix of salts based on a weight of belly pork or loin, flavoured with spices such as bay, juniper berries, rosemary etc. This is rubbed in each day for up to five days and excess liquid poured off each day. After a wash and pat dry, the pork can be eaten or kept in the fridge for some time, though another possibility is smoking for even more flavour. We discussed a variety of flavourings and cuts that can be used, and looked at ways to arrange both cold and hot smoking of cured pork. Another meeting is planned for Crediton Pig Club members with a specialist sausage-making day on Sat 29 October 2016. Tim Harris, the Devon Chef, will be showing us how to use our own pork to make sausages. Those members who do not want to make their own sausages will still be able to have them produced at AJ Cox butchers using meat from our pigs.

The next open Crediton Pig Club meeting, with a brief annual general meeting session, will be held at Ashtons Coffee Lounge, 9 Market St, EX17 2AJ, at 7 pm on Monday 14th November 2016. This meeting will be enlivened with tasty nibbles of crackling, pancetta, sausage and all are welcome. Come along and join us to hear how things have gone in 2016 and especially if you are interested in joining the Crediton Pig Club for 2017. We welcome new smallholders and additional pig sharers. Click here for further details.