Pig neck and two apples

Pig neck has come to me as a major surprise, never before having had anything to do with this part of the beast. Well, let me tell you that this is a magnificent cut of meat. And the sauce! This taste and aroma combination is difficult to equal, never mind beat…

Pig neck and two apples
- Advertisement -

To make these juicy pork cutlets for four, you will need:

  • 4 thick-cut pork neck cutlets
  • ½ cup gewürztraminer or bukettraube white wine
  • ½ cup yellow sultanas
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 crisp apples
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
  • ¼ cup freshly picked marjoram or oregano
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • White flour

Pre-heat the oven to 90°C. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Peel, core and halve the two apples, then cut them into thin crescent-shaped slices. Lightly chop the fresh herbs. Pour the fruity white wine of your choice (either gewürztraminer or bukettraube) into a small saucepan and add the half-cup of sultanas. Over medium heat, let the contents simmer for three to four minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove and reserve under cover.

Select a large frying pan and pour in sufficient extra virgin olive oil to thinly cover the bottom. Bring this up to medium heat and sweat the sliced onion until soft and translucent, stirring gently from time to time. Add the crescent-shaped slices of apple and let them cook with the onion for five minutes, then pour in the reduced wine and sultana mixture, the chicken stock, half a tablespoon of chopped marjoram or oregano and half a teaspoon of salt. Let this simmer for seven minutes until the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze. Remove and reserve under cover.

- Advertisement -

Pour extra virgin olive oil to a depth of 5mm into a large frying pan and bring up to medium heat. Now for the pork. Season the cutlets with salt and black pepper, then spread the mustard over both sides of each piece of meat. Pour a cup of flour into a large unused Ziploc bag, add the prepared cutlets and shake it.

Remove the meat and tap off the excess flour then gently add the floured cutlets to the hot oil in the frying pan. Marginally reduce the heat and let the meat fry for two minutes per side or as long as it needs to produce only the faintest hint of pink in the middle. You may have to do this in batches; if so, store the cooked meat under cover in the warmed oven and allow the oil to heat up again before the second batch. Let all the cutlets drain briefly on some kitchen towel and then return them to the oven while you reheat the sauce.

When this is done, dish up and serve immediately with some sauce and garnish with oregano or marjoram. Serve with the chilled gewürztraminer or bukettraube or your own choice. This is a truly over the top feast that needs only mashed potato as an accompaniment.

Contact David Basckin at
[email protected]. Please state ‘Real cooking’ in the subject line of your email.