One of my big person friends found it a little shocking that we would practice butchering in our cooking class for four-year-olds.
“They’ll never eat meat again, ” she said pleadingly.
Well, that very well might be true. When we work with meat and animal products, when we cook with them, we are face to face with the reality of exactly what we are eating and not ten steps removed. It can definitely be shocking to some kids and to adults for that matter.
There is also some general fear around butchering that I hope to dispel among the mini-chefs. One mother commented that she had always been afraid to cut and tie roasts before she saw us do it. Afterward, you could see that she was going to go home and be able to do it very easily herself. This stuff is not difficult if you follow each step the first time around. Having been a mostly vegetarian for a decade, I, too, had experienced some fear around particular cuts of meat for no reason other than nobody had ever taught me how to work with them. The way our class works is this: If the mini-chefs can do it, you can do it!
Because we usually cook pork loin by browning it in the pan on both sides first and then sending it to the oven, I decided to search “roast a bone-in pork loin” on Google and on a few food sites. Martha Stewart, in all her glory, won out for the best kid-adaptable version. To me, her version seems sort of like an edible craft project.
The adult will be there to make the actual cuts, but the Yummies can do the rest of the work to get the roast ready for the oven. Before you make this roast pork loin, go check out Martha’s fabulous pictures. She was spot on in her rendering. Take a peek, and then try this one. We adjusted the seasoning and whipped up an easy glaze to make the taste more pleasing for more families.
After the roast came out of the oven, all of the children ate some and most of them absolutely loved it. There might end up being some vegetarians in the mix, but at least they will know what they are getting themselves into if they do choose to eat meat. And now, they can go home and direct their Big Person exactly how to make it.
Roast Pork Loin with Garlic and Thyme
adapted from Martha Stewart
feeds about 6 adults
For the roast:
*5 lb bone-in pork loin, Frenched (ask your butcher to do this for you)
*3 cloves of garlic
*2 T. dried thyme
*salt and pepper, to taste
*a bowl of warm sudsy water and a kitchen towel
* kitchen twine
*fresh thyme sprigs for garnishing (optional)
For the glaze:
*2 navel oranges, juiced
*1/3 c. dry white wine
* the pan drippings from your roast
Big Person: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut two of the garlic cloves into about 12-15 thin slices apiece. Separately mince the remaining clove of garlic and set aside.
With a sharp knife, make 24-30 cuts half-inch cuts all over the meat. Then, with your knife right up against the meat at the bones, slice down about two inches into the meat, creating a pocket.
Together: Show your mini-chef how to stick the slices of garlic into the slits that you made all over your meat. Remind them before and during that they should not put their hands in their mouths throughout this process. Use a bowl with warm, soapy water and a clean kitchen towel any time you feel you need it.
Open the pocket you made. Sprinkle the minced garlic and 1 1/2 T of the thyme into the pocket. Sprinkle in some salt and grind in some pepper.
Close the pocket and get your kitchen twine ready. Let out a few inches of slack and keep free for the first part of the wrapping. Starting on one side of the roast, begin wrapping. Go in between each rib as you wrap around the whole thing. End up in the middle using your slack to tie off the twine and fully seal the pocket.
Sprinkle the remaining thyme and some salt and pepper all over the roast. Place the pork loin on a roasting pan.
Big Person: Roast the pork loin for 60-85 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Let the meat rest at least 10 minutes to reabsorb the juices.
Make the glaze:
Using the pan drippings from your roast with the orange juice and white wine. Bring them to a boil on the stove top in a saute pan. Stirring, reduce the liquid to 1/3. Spoon the glaze over the individual pork chops when serving.
