I bought a pig shank from Flint Acres Farm at the Farmer’s Market - good marketing, considering the popularity of lamb shanks! Never mind trotters and all the fuss that is being made about them; they are too much of a fiddle for me. Now, would this have been a hand of pork in the old money? No, they come from the shoulder (makes sense!) whereas the shank is from the back leg, with more meat than a hock. There was not much fat so I opted for a slow roast, using the same method as I use to roast mutton.

My shank was 1.85kg. I just rubbed it with a little coarse sea salt and put it in the Roasting Oven of my Aga (220℃, 425℉) for 40 minutes until it was starting to brown. I then put it in the Simmering Oven (160℃, 425℉) for 4 hours. The previous evening I had been making Seville orange marmalade and I always like to add some dark muscovado sugar, even thought it makes quite a scum. I am too thrifty to throw the scum away and added it to the ‘gravy’ for the pork - the meat juices thickened with a little flour before the vegetable water is added, and then the scum with the ‘trapped’ peel. Delicious. Thank you Flint Acres.

Brian Cawdray from Flint Acres Farm attends Chichester District Council farmer’s markets in Chichester, Petworth and Midhurst, as well as Slindon and Arundel markets. Call 01798 831036 for information.