Dingley Dell Pork Feast at The Leather Bottle

Posted on Monday, 27th August 2012

The Leather Bottle is a pub in Earlsfield, and to mark the launch of its luscious new garden with huts that available for private hire, welfare-friendly Suffolk pork farmer Dingley Dell hosted one of its ‘flying visits’ in the form of an al fresco barbecue bonanza with matching beers and ciders early last week.

The evening kicked off with a pig butchery masterclass followed by a six-course meal. First up was the whole hog board which included air-dried pork leg, crispy pig’s ears, potted brawn, mini hot dogs and black pudding trotter fritters served with gooseberry chutney and a purple basil jam. To go with the board was Aspall’s Premier Cru cider, which proved to be a good pairing. The fritters were delicious as was the pork leg, although the pig’s ears were a little chewy.

The whole hog board

The whole hog board

Potted apple smoked pig’s cheeks in mead jelly with pea purée and salad proved quite busy with the use of one two many ingredients. But sweet and tender pulled pork shoulder, slow cooked for 14 hours with garlic, rosemary, black pepper, fennel and oregano was delicious. It was served with Meantime London Lager.

Pig cheek salad

Pig cheek salad

Stunningly good was the whole hog, spit roasted with Aspall’s apple juice by Mark Poynton of three AA-rosette restaurant Alimentum in Cambridge. The meat was moist, flavoursome and delicious. The hog was again matched with Aspall’s Premier Cru cider.

Hog roast

Hog roast

Hog spit with crackling

Hog spit with crackling

Finally, 5-hour cherry smoked pork ribs with barbecue and black treacle glaze, prepared by multi award-winning Grand Champion and World BBQ Championship finalist Andy Annat, proved to be a delightful porky end to this pig extravaganza. To pair with the ribs was the Meantime London Pale Ale.

St Louis pork ribs

St Louis pork ribs

There was also dessert which I didn’t stay for on account of it being late, but I was well impressed with the quality of the pork, the cooking and what good value this feast was. The whole evening including the demo, food and matching ciders and beers was priced at just £25.

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