I have to admit I’m a bit of a Richard H. Turner super fan. He runs my favourite butchers, Turner and George, and is also the ‘man behind the meat’ at Hawksmoor (quite frankly the best steakhouse in London), Pitt Cue Co. (full of many piggy delights and bourbon laced cocktails) and more restaurants besides. Plus he’s bought the meat fest that is Meatopia to the UK.
Hog: proper pork recipes from the snout to the squeak, is, as Turner himself describes, a ‘celebration of all things porcine’. This book really does what it says on the tin – it contains all you ever need to know about breeds and cuts, different cooking methods and dishes, and is beautifully designed to boot. It feels like the work of someone who is totally in love with pork and has put everything into making sure you’ll love it too. There are also some contributions from the likes of Fergus Henderson, Neil Rankin and Valentine Warner, and also basic recipes for master pork stock (why use chicken stock in a pork dish after all?), BBQ sauce, bacon, ham and sausages.