Pork Roasts

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow heavy roasting pan with a fitted wire rack
• •Instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer
• •Sharp chef's knife or clean scoring blade
• •Butcher's twine
• •Small whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry and score

   Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with a rack in the lower third. Pat the pork completely dry, especially the rind. With a very sharp knife, score diagonal lines about ¾ inch (2 cm) apart, cutting through the rind and deeply into the fat without entering the meat; cross them in the opposite direction to form lozenges. Rub two-thirds of the salt into the cuts, leave the joint uncovered for 30 minutes, then blot away every bead of moisture the salt has drawn out. Dry means dry.

2. 2

   Stuff and tie

   Turn the butterflied pork rind-side down. Season the meat with the remaining salt and the pepper, then spread the cooled Sage and Onions Stuffing (for Turkeys, Ducks and Geese) (No. 1944) in an even layer about ⅜ inch (1 cm) thick, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border. Roll the joint firmly with the rind outside and tie it at 1½-inch (4 cm) intervals. If stuffing squeezes from the ends, tuck it back rather than forcing more inside; an overfilled roast opens before it cooks. Pat the rind dry once more.

3. 3

   Roast before fierce heat

   Set the pork rind-side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 475°F (245°C) for 20 minutes, without basting, until the rind begins to blister and take colour. Lower the oven to 350°F (180°C), carefully pour ½ cup (120 ml / 120 g) of the water into the pan without wetting the pork, and continue roasting for 65 to 85 minutes. Add another small splash of water if the pan's fond, the browned deposits beneath the roast, threatens to turn black. Brown fond gives gravy; black fond gives bitterness, so intervene before it crosses that line.

4. 4

   Check and rescue

   Begin checking the centre after 65 minutes. The thermometer must reach 165°F (74°C) in the stuffing, not merely in the surrounding meat. If the centre is ready but the rind remains leathery, move the roast to a clean metal tray and place it under a hot broiler for 1 to 3 minutes, turning the tray as needed and watching without looking away. Ça se rattrape. The rind can blister quickly now, and quickly becomes black. Rest the roast uncovered for 25 minutes so its juices settle and the crackling stays crisp.

5. 5

   Build the gravy

   While the pork rests, pour the pan juices into a jug and skim off the fat, reserving 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Set the roasting pan across medium heat, add the reserved fat, supplementing it with a little butter if necessary, and stir in the flour. Cook this roux, flour cooked with fat, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the remaining ¾ cup (180 ml / 180 g) water and the degreased juices, scraping up every part of the fond. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the gravy lightly coats a spoon. If it lumps, whisk firmly and strain it; if it tightens too far, loosen it with water a spoonful at a time.

6. 6

   Finish the sauce

   Take the gravy off the heat and monter au beurre, whisk in the remaining cold butter a piece at a time, until the sauce gleams and tastes round. Do not boil it afterward. If the butter separates into a slick, pull the pan fully off the heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 5 g) cool water; the emulsion will usually gather itself again. Taste before adding any salt, since the concentrated pork juices may already provide enough.

7. 7

   Carve and serve

   Snip away the twine and carve the Rôti de Porc crosswise into generous slices, using a serrated knife to pass cleanly through the crisp rind. Spoon a little gravy over the cut meat while leaving the crackling uncovered. Bring the Apple Sauce (No. 112) to the table lukewarm in its own boat. When using the source's alternative, serve the Cranberry Sauce (No. 115) gently warmed instead. Never apologize at your own table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for rind-on pork neck or collar, called échine, from a young animal, and have it butterflied in one sheet. Neck contains enough fine fat to remain succulent when the stuffing reaches its safe temperature; lean loin offers much less margin.
• •Rind often arrives wrapped in plastic and damp. Unwrap it as soon as you get home, blot it thoroughly, and leave it uncovered in the cold if time permits. Do not baste the rind. Pork fat will crisp it; added liquid will soften it.
• •Use a clean, very sharp blade for the scoring. The cuts should pass through the tough rind and most of the fat but stop before the meat, since cuts in the flesh allow its juices to escape.
• •Apple Sauce (No. 112) should be lukewarm, not refrigerator-cold. Its soft acidity cuts the richness without chilling the meat or setting the gravy on the plate.
• •A dry Vouvray or a light Beaujolais suits the pork, sage, and fruit without overpowering them. Serve the roast with potatoes or a plain green vegetable and let the crackling have the last word.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them for up to 3 days. Reheat slices gently under a spoonful of gravy, keeping leftover crackling separate so it can be recrisped under the broiler.

Advance Preparation

• •For the driest rind, score and salt the unstuffed pork up to 24 hours ahead, then refrigerate it rind-side up and uncovered. Blot it again before filling and tying.
• •Prepare and cool the Sage and Onions Stuffing (for Turkeys, Ducks and Geese) (No. 1944) one day ahead if desired, but do not stuff the raw pork until the oven is heating.
• •The Apple Sauce (No. 112) or optional Cranberry Sauce (No. 115) may be prepared ahead according to its own entry, chilled, and brought gently to serving temperature while the roast rests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 485g)