
Ground venison enchiladas
Browning the meat in pork lard and using great quality sauce are the key to these "better than restaurant" venison enchiladas.
I could make a terrible pun about “crowns” and “royalty”, but instead let’s just all agree that a pork crown roast is a show-stopping meat centrepiece – something you can be very proud to present to your table. A roast of this magnitude is perfectly suited to a meal with family or friends, especially during a holiday like Easter.
Although it may look like a brand new cut you’ve never tried, a crown roast is actually just a really visually impressive version of yet-to-be-cut pork chops! The whole loin rolled into a circle, with a small cut between each chop, and the bones are frenched (stripped of fat and meat) which creates the magnificent structure.
The other good news is, it’s super easy to cook. Much as you’d do with a prime rib, use a reverse sear concept to first roast for a few hours over a low heat, before resting then searing at a very high temperature. As with any temperature-sensitive method, the most important instrument you’ll need, aside from an oven of course, is a reliably calibrated thermometer. I use and recommend the Thermapen, which also displays the temperature reading nearly instantly, so I dont lose too much heat from the oven door staying open.
I prefer just salt, pepper and garlic because it’s a great opportunity to let the meat shine, particularly if using a breed of exceptional quality like Kurobuta or Berkshire, but you can go ahead and experiment with your favorite rubs and herbs.
Since I decided to keep the flavor profile simple, I was musing over a sauce I could serve with the roast that would be complimentary and not just another boring apple sauce. Quite hilariously, I ended up finding the perfect accompaniment in a traditional Passover dish called Charoset; grated apples with walnuts and wine. So, this final dish is kind of an Easter/Passover mashup. Feeling slightly guilty taking a traditional kosher recipe and pairing it with pork, I’ve renamed it ‘drunken apples’ (but kept the Manischewitz!).
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Browning the meat in pork lard and using great quality sauce are the key to these "better than restaurant" venison enchiladas.
Thinly slicing the meat is the key to these tender flavor packed sandwiches.
No need to fear - you can totally grill pork belly to perfection without the dreaded flare ups.