this canadian thanksgiving in lieu of traditional turkey or ham we decided to ring in the cooler weather and the fall holiday spirit with one of my childhood comfort food favorites, the good old cottage roll. essentially it's a big hunk of salty pork. it looks and smells disgusting before cooking but after... drroooool. melts in your mouth. promise.
i use two pots because i have a serious paranoia about cooking my veg with any kind of raw meet but all the slow cooker recipes i have checked say it's fine so go ahead and mix everything together if you really hate doing dishes. i respect that.
YOU'LL NEED
- one cottage roll
- potatoes
- carrots
- cabbage
- hot mustard or regular mustard or no mustard whatsoever (but what other condiments go with ham?)
- two large pots or one large pot or one slow cooker or two slow cookers (read on for explanation)
- tongs
FIRST POT (OR SLOW COOKER)
flip a smaller plate upside down in the bottom of a large cooking pot. this prevents your roll from sticking to the pot. leave your roll in the string net that it comes in. cover with it with water and bring to a boil. at this point, turn the heat down to about seven and put the lid on. LEAVE THE LID ON I BEG OF YOU. brian could not resist "checking" on the meat every half hour or so and turned a six hour cook into nine. live and learn. so six hours or so. check it at about the three hour mark. you may want to add more water or flip the roll over to ensure full and even cooking.
SECOND POT
cut your potatoes up and throw them in the pot as you normally would to make boiled potatoes. once boiled turn the heat to about a two. add carrots and cabbage leaves. then just walk away. seriously, walk away. check your water level at the same time you check on your meat. your veg should be soft and mushy and delicious.
BACK TO THE FIRST POT
at the six hour mark remove your roll using tongs. it will be super soft and ready to flake apart. put in on a plate to cut into the center and make sure that it's cooked thoroughly. looking a little bright pink for your liking? put it back in the water and give it another half hour or so. keep checking until it is a nice light hammy pink.
serve it all up on a plate, add hot mustard and put it in your face. accept compliments graciously. use the leftovers for sandwiches. when you are so sick of salty ham sandwiches you never want another ham sandwich again it is time to throw new potatoes, carrots and cabbage into the slow cooker again and make soup.
prepare to crave this delicious meal fortnightly. or thereabouts.
