Pork hocks. Nice to be able to stand them upright to roast. But not easy to achieve (balancing act plus jerry-rigging). Do you have a method of doing this? Otherwise, I'm thinking I need some sort of spike attached to a supporting base that I can sit in the roasting pan. I've had a look on the internet and there's not much, not in NZ anyway. I could get some spikes made by an engineering firm but maybe I could purchase a receipt spike and repurpose it.

A good spike, just like I was thinking of: [cooking.stackexchange.com]

A metal receipt spike I could repurpose (even comes from an appropriate company! ) [www.headchef.co.nz]

But stainless steel would be the best material. This one's stainless steel - I'd just have to remove the plastic feet [www.nisbets.co.nz]

Ideal spike but overseas.... [ceramicgrillstore.com]

But then maybe I could just prop them up in a rack:
Roast and rib and chop rack [www.mitre10.co.nz]

Hmmmm.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2020 07:30AM by J1.

Lateral thinking: Buy 6 or 8 small fishhooks and some fine trace wire from a fishing shop. Cut the wire into 3 or 4 pieces of a suitable length and attach a fishing hook to each end. Attach one end of each hook into the hollow bone and attach the other end to the edges of whatever you are going to roast the hock in. Make sure the wires are taut. (Imagine putting up a tent to get my drift). You may need to tighten the 'guy ropes' as cooking progresses and the hocks shrink slightly.

Many a jest has spurred inventors into great inventions!

Thanks Lorna but too fiddly methinks. We're currently doing a somewhat similar balancing act thing with skewers but it's just not satisfactory and every now and again the house of cards falls down.

I have a small chicken roasting rack like this:

[www.mightyape.co.nz]

I think it would be ideal for roasting a couple of pork hocks. It might even hold three.

I think I bought it at Mitre 10 but it was years ago and I can't really remember.

Hi J1 - what about this? I'm thinking you could impale a hock on to 2 of the prongs.

[www.ebay.com.au]

That's a definite possibility, thanks TPANDAV.

I like that too, Heather, although I see it comes from UK. It'd be good if they gave some dimensions although I could always ask.

Hmm upside down?

[www.bunnings.co.nz]

That's a pretty good idea too Jenna, thanks. It's not as big as it looks either - dimensions given are W & L 16cm, H 19cm, which means I could fit two side by side in my oven.