Name: Roast leg of pork
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: 1 boneless joint of pork ( leg) - 1.2 kg approx..; 6 shallots or 2 onions, peeled; 2 large carrots; 2 celery stalks; 1 garlic bulb; 2 sprigs of sage; 3 bay leaves; 3 apples; For the rub:; 1 Tbsp fennel seeds; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 2 tsp sea salt

Roast leg of pork

16 Oct 2016

by Dinna

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 45 minutes

Background

For Sunday lunch or a midweek roast dinner nothing beats a nice roast leg of pork. In this recipe the pork joint is rubbed with a mixture of spices which make it taste really delicious! The perfect meal for a laid-back dinner or lunch! Serve it with the usual roast potatoes and veggies.

Ingredients

1 boneless joint of pork ( leg) - 1.2 kg approx..
6 shallots or 2 onions, peeled
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
1 garlic bulb
2 sprigs of sage
3 bay leaves
3 apples
For the rub:
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Dry- fry the spices for the rub, then crush them using a pestle and mortar into a coarse powder.
Pat-dry the pork, score the top skin of the fat layer with a sharp knife, then rub all over the powdered spices. Put the pork on a tray and let it marinate for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible.
Preheat the oven to 160C. Take the pork out of the fridge at least 60 minutes before cooking. Wipe off the excess spice powder.
Cut the carrot and celery into large chunks. Core and cut the apple in half. Cut the garlic bulb in half. Cut the onion into wedges (shallots can stay whole).
Arrange the vegetables and apple pieces in a large roasting tray. Scatter the bay leaves and the sage on top. Season with salt and pepper.
Put the pork on top of the vegetables and roast for about 80 minutes, until golden. If you have a meat thermometer, check - the centre should be around 70C.
Transfer the pork, onions, garlic and carrots to a plate - cover with foil then a tea towel to keep warm.
Put the apples into a bowl. Remove the skin and mash the meat (you can add a drop of Calvados and a pinch of cinnamon to it). Discard the celery, bay leaves and sage.
Put the tray on the stove and make some gravy from the roasting juices – add a Tbsp of cornflour, apple juice or cider, chicken stock or vegetable stock and reduce, stirring constantly, until you get a thick sauce. Strain it into a jug.
If you want crackling, remove the rind with a sharp knife, put it on a tray and grill for 5-10 minutes until crispy.
Carve the pork and serve with the gravy, roasted vegetables and roasted apple sauce (see tip).

Tips

I made this dish with carrots but other root vegetables can be used too, such as swede, parsnip, sweet potato, beetroot, fennel and so on.
You can make an even more interesting apple sauce, roasting in a separate dish. Roasted apples sauce recipe>>