A humble roast pork

We love roast meat, such a thrifty way to cook as you can usually get more than one dinner out of it. Leftovers the next night to do all over again, cold for sandwiches or if its a chicken, make some soup or chicken stock for the freezer with the carcass. But our favourite would have to be Pork.

I love roast pork, especially when its still moist and not dry and over cooked. A sure way of doing this is using a meat thermometer. Cut long ways right into the crackle to make 1/2 cm to 1 cm all along your pork. Pat it dry with paper towel and rub it well with sea salt.  Spray with cooking spray, it gives a better crackle than olive oil for some reason.  Cook your pork, starting it at 220c to get the crackle going, and after 20 mins turn down to 180c for approx 1 1/2 hours but keep an eye on it and make sure it hits 80c on your thermometer as all ovens are a bit different. 

Make sure you rest your meat on a tray covering with foil for at least 30 mins but up to an hour before you carve as it allows all the juices and meat to relax and will be so tender and juicy, I promise. This rule applies to all meats, especially steak. Due to our supply of roots in the garden, we love having so many vegies with our roasts, with this one it was Jerusalem artichokes, baby carrots, pumpkin, potato, beetroot , parsnip and Japanese turnip, but lets not forget the frozen peas and corn on the cob as well!! Gluttons aren’t we.

The garden loot

One tip for you is to cook more than you need and use it in a salad cold the next day or save some gravy and have a bowl of roast vegies & gravy for lunch, low fat and super tasty. I’m planning a rocket, pumpkin, pine nut & Parmesan salad tomorrow so I've roasted some separately while the oven is pumping with some sage. 

The start of tomorrows lunch, can hardly wait!

Here is a look at how I do my roasted beetroots. I put them cut onto some foil, enough to make a little bag, and dress them with evoo, salt, pepper, balsamic glaze, a clove of garlic halved and a few sprigs of parsley (it was pouring rain so couldn't get the mint) and roast along side the others but don't get covered in pink, us adults don't mind its the little person who balks.

When I make gravy I roast the pork on a wire rack over a baking tray, filled to just under the tray with water. When pork is done I drain the collected meaty juices in a pyrex jug and put in the freezer. Once the fat at the top has seperated and is quite solid, use a spoon to get the excess fat off. You can save this for excellent spuds another time or just put in the bin.

So here is the beautiful pork.

The piece de resistance

Hubby usually takes the crackle off, cranks up the oven puts it back in to  really crackle it up. Take off any excess fat thats around the meat. Tip any juices that collect on the tray the meat is on into the gravy.  I also love my roast dinner really hot, so I carve the meat and plate it all up with the vegies and gravy and put back into the oven for 5 or so minutes, warms the plates up and reheats the meat, just like my nan always does.

And do you know what!!! In all the excitement of it coming out of the oven, pipping hot and smelling amazing, I forgot to take a picture of the masterpiece.  So you will just have to make it yourself!

Ciao, Jan