It’s pork season
VERSATILE AND BUDGET-FRIENDLY, THIS MEAT IS A WINTER WINNER FOR FAMILIES
Fire up the oven and stock up on apple sauce – this winter is shaping up to be a season of cosy pork roasts, as rising beef prices push more home cooks towards “the other white meat”.
When the temperature dips, pork sales heat up, with demand spiking around 40 per cent through the cooler months, according to Coles figures, while Google searches for pork recipes habitually rise by 25 per cent in autumn and winter.
Right now, supermarket prices for boneless Australian pork shoulder roast have dipped as low as $8 per kilo, making a tender,
crackling-clad pork roast all the more comforting, particularly at a time of soaring beef prices.
High international demand through the pandemic, and the lingering impact of the drought, have seen beef prices rise by up to 10 per cent per kilo over the past year, according to Meat and Livestock Australia figures, while easier breeding, cheaper feed and fast growth keep their gluttonous farmyard friends within a more affordable price range.
Former MasterChef contestant Courtney Roulston is among the Aussies adding more pork to their fork through the cooler months, and a Sunday roast is a favourite for her and partner Sophie King.
“Sophie is from the UK, so Sunday roast is a non-negotiable in our house,” says Roulston. “She loves a classic roast chicken or crispy pork and I usually make apple sauce and different seasonal veg to go with it.”
Along with being an affordable meal, leftover pork roast lends itself well to being reinvented through the week. “Roast pork is an affordable option for families and I often use any leftovers in sandwiches, fried rice or ramen soups,” Roulston says.
As a Coles ambassador, Roulston has been making the most of the supermarket’s KitchenAid cookware promotion, favouring the larger baking dish in the range for her weekly roast.
“I’m from a big family so I’m used to cooking large roasts and generous sharing meals,” she says. “The bamboo lids make them easy to transport to picnics or take to friends’ houses, as well as a great storage option without the need to use plastic wrap.”