This large economical pork joint is cut from below the pig’s shoulder to include the lower shoulder (the hand) and jowl and runs down the fore leg to give the knuckle.
It includes three or four bones of the belly too. On a pig bred for bacon, this cut is known as the fore hock – and can be cut into three smaller joints – the butt, fore slipper and small hock. So for versatile cuts, why not explore this lesser-known part of the pig?
It makes economical sense to buy the whole hand and spring, then cut it into useable sections (or ask your butcher to do it for you). The knuckle end can be simmered with vegetables and beans or pulses to make tasty soup or stew; two or three pork steaks can be cut from the narrow end for grilling and the middle section can be used for roasting – or it can be boned, stuffed and rolled for a tasty roast pork dinner. The meat can be minced too. So make way in your freezer if you’re not cooking it all at once. Cost wise, this cut can be a bargain – pay from £3.50 - £5 per kg.
It’s advisable to slow roast hand and spring for delicious results – just score, oil and salt the fat as you would for pork loin first – you’ll get excellent crackling. Remember that this part of the pig did its fair share of physical work whilst alive, so slower cooking will render it nice and tender. Pork mince made from hand and spring makes marvellous meals too – use it wherever you would use other mince – in meat loaves, terrines, pates, pasta dishes, curries and burgers.
For pork steaks, grill for 7-8 minutes on each side, brushing with a mixture of orange juice, orange zest and honey with a little wholegrain mustard. For a whole joint, score first, then stud with cloves for a spicy flavour. For the knuckle, simmer with an onion and a few herbs for a couple of hours until tender, then strip the meat from the bones and return to the pan with rough-cut root veg and pearl barley, cooking until tender for a satisfying meal-in-a-bowl soup. Or try your hand at these tasty suggestions using pork mince.
Jamie’s pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce
Sausage and mash burger
Sesame prawn toasts
Shrimp and pork dumplings
Thai pork burgers
Slow braised hand of pork
Learn your way around a pig with our interactive guide to pork cuts
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