Roasting Pork
Roast pork, the king of roasts. The recipe with stuffing below suggests cooking on high at the start to lock in the juices, then turning the heat down
To Roast Pork
Preheat the oven to 160 C or 170 C
Weigh the pork roast and calculate the cooking time
If a meat thermometer is available, insert it into the thickest part of the meat
Place the pork roast, with the layer of fat upper-most, on a rack in a roasting pan. The rack keeps the roast out of the drippings, allows the fat the drain away as it melts, and gives better heat circulation around the meat
Cook the pork roast the required length of time, until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a thin knife
If using a meat thermometer, use 71 C for medium done pork and 76 C for well done pork
Remove the roast from the oven and rest in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the pork to firm up and the juices to settle and makes it easier to carve
For Crisp Crackling
Brush the well scored rind with oil and sprinkle lightly with salt
Roast the pork. When cooked, remove from the oven and remove the rind. Leave the pork to rest
Place the rind under a preheated grill and grill until the crackling puffs and crisps
For Successful Carving
Always allow the roast to rest, covered, in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes before carving
Use a good carving knife and keep it sharp
Place the pork so it can be held firmly on a flat surface. A carving board with a well to catch the juices is ideal
Carve roast across the grain to ensure the slices are more tender when eaten
Guidelines for Roasting Pork
Oven Temperature and Suggested Minutes per 500g
Trim Pork
loin roast 160 C 35-45 minutes
scotch fillet / rib eye roast 170 C 25-35 minutes
shoulder roast 160 C 35-40 minutes
whole fillet roast 170 C 25-30 minutes
Traditional Pork
leg of pork 170 C 30-35 minutes
boned rolled leg 170 C 25-30 minutes
shoulder of pork 160 C 35-40 minutes
boned rolled shoulder 160 C 30-35 minutes
A Roast Leg of Pork Recipe with Stuffing
The best cut to stuff and roast is the leg. Once you have chosen your piece, ask your butcher to tunnel-bone the joint for you
Once you have the piece of pork home, leave it in the refrigerator overnight with the skin area exposed, helping it to dry out. This will ensure the crackling will be perfect once cooked
The suggestion here is to cook at 220 C for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 165C
Ingredients to make 2 cups of stuffing
50g butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs (for a more rustic stuffing simply cut the fresh bread into small cubes)
1 cup roasted almonds
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 egg, lightly beaten
100g smoky bacon
100g chopped dried apricots
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan and add the onion. Cook slowly until the onion is transparent. Allow to cool
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well
Place the pork on a clean chopping board skin side down and with the tunnel where the bone was removed facing you. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Place the stuffing into the cavity of the pork
Skewer to secure and tie if needed
Score the skin with a sharp knife
Chop a peeled carrot, parsnip and onion roughly and place in a roasting dish. Place the pork with the crackling up on to the vegetables
This will raise the joint from the bottom of the roasting pan and prevent over cooking of that portion of the roast
Season the pork well with sea salt and rub the crackling lightly with a non-flavoured oil
Place in a very hot oven (220 degrees Celsius) and cook for 15 minutes
Now turn the oven down to 165C and continue the roasting process until the meat is cooked (allow 35 minutes per 500g of pork)
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