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An orange to absorb the fat on roasts?

post #1 of 7
8/13/12 at 1:41pm
Thread Starter 

Hi guys...

 

The other day a friend of mine asked about something that he saw on a cooking show...

 

There was this argentinian chef/host on the show and he was roasting a pig, a suckling pig and ha added a whole orange to the mirepoix and he said that it was to keep the juices fat free.

 

At the end of the roasting he took the orange, cutted it in two, and it was full of fat and the stock was "pure jus" no fat, very clean and ready to be used as roasting jus or to make a sauce without the ton of grease that usually comes off when doing such dish.

 

He said that the trick was valid for the turkey too. Since turkey is something that I cook only for xmas and in my restaurant I don't have suckling pig on the menu, I'm not into experimenting it soon. But if anybody can tell me for starters, if that is true, I'll appreciate it big time (I'm not calling my friend a liar, but he is totally neophyte on the subject and also suspicious about some sort of TV trick/gimmick) and if somebody can give me a "Harold McGee" style answer much better.

 

Your toughts on the subject will be very appreciated.

 

Luis

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post #2 of 7
8/14/12 at 12:10pm

Wow! That is a new one on me. I am interested in finding out the facts as well. I have made Carnitas by simmering chunks of Pork Butt with Orange halves but it was for flavor, I didn't notice any fat absorption but maybe being whole makes a difference. Would make an interesting experiment. Other roasted meats, Chicken, Meatloaf, or Pork Butt, generate a lot of rendered Fat so no need to limit to whole Pig or Turkey...JJ

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post #3 of 7
8/14/12 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 

You're right JimmyJ...

 

We add some orange, sometimes orange juice, wedges or just the peel in the many variants of Mexican carnitas, but in this case it was the whole orange and flavoring was not the point at all (Now that you remind me, that was another pointer by the chef/host -It will not add or change the flavor, it will just absorb the fat-).

 

And when I asked my friend on the name of the show / chef / host he had no clue if it was on latin america Fox life, food network, discovery home and health the gourmet channel... So, I don't have resources to find on line the program. Seems like we will have to experiment! :)

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post #4 of 7
8/15/12 at 4:31am
Please report back because it sounds like BS to me

You can't lay on the beach and drink rum all day unless you start in the morning

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post #5 of 7
8/23/12 at 1:07am

BS..... we tried this with a 6kg slab of sirloin with plenty of cap fat attached and while the orange absorbed fat, it certainly didn't to the extent described by Luis J's friend.

 

hope this helps :)

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post #6 of 7
8/23/12 at 2:45am

I have never seen an orange absorb. However if let to get cold it will show up fat but so will a pencil.  Citrus will help dissolve grease or fat but will not absorb it . It is BS. Why do you think all your dish detergents contain citric acid? They say on label now with lemon

Chef EdB
Over 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US  with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). 
      Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...
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post #7 of 7
8/23/12 at 9:56am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the replies guys, I haven't tried it yet but I was very skeptical. Now that you did the experiment seems like the mith was busted! thumb.gif Cool!

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