Aaron’s Famous Roast Pork
A new tradition was started in my family when I met a beautiful woman from Manchester. She moved her whole life to Melbourne 3 years ago and now our family throws a special Christmas in July celebration so she can enjoy a winter Christmas like she used to back in England.
Every year I cook my famous Pork Roast. We decorate the whole house in Christmas lights and tinsel. It helps with her feelings of being home sick, as she still finds a 30 degree Christmas with cold foods a bit strange. It gives us all a reason to get together and create great memories that will stay with us forever. Each member from the family pitches in to create a hot traditional Christmas feast including roast pork and turkey, ham, roast veg, mulled wine and a few other favourites.
Serves 2-3 | Cooking Time: Approx 2 hours (plus resting time)
Ingredients
1.5kg Pork Roast (Skin on)
3 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 apples
1 onion
Golden Chat Potatoes
1kg chat potatoes
2 Tbsp plain flour
Rosemary leaves
Serve with Roast Parsnips, Pumpkin, steamed green beans and apple or cranberry sauce.
Method
Dry the pork with some paper towel as getting the moisture off the pork is key to the perfect crackling. Now that you have dried the pork use a sharp knife or razor blade to carefully score the skin. Take care not to cut through the fat into the pork, you just need to score the fat, so it has nice lines. Ideally leave the scored dried pork in the fridge for 24 hours. If you don’t have time, leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the pork to dry.
Preheat the oven to 240°C.
Once the pork has been in fridge for between 2 and 24 hours remove and pat down with some paper towel. Now that you have dried the pork, massage the olive oil into the skin making sure you get it in each of the scored lines.
Rub the sea salt all over the pork, depending how salty you like you crackling add or reduce the amount of salt. I personally believe you need a generous amount as that’s what makes the crackle so good.
Chop up the apple and onions into thick slices and then proceed to make a base on the tray using the apple and onion. Now that you have your platform place the pork, skin facing up on the apple and onion slices as this will stop the pork from getting tough on the bottom and the juices from the apples and onions will flavour the pork.
Place into the oven for 50 minutes until the rind is golden and crackling (Don’t open the oven during this time)
While the pork is cooking. Toss chat potatoes in flour and rough up in a colander. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, salt and olive oil.
Reduce oven heat to 180 degrees and then add potato, parsnip and pumpkin in the oven to roast for 30 -40 minutes until the pork and vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Remove the pork from the oven and allow it to sit on a wire rack for 10 minutes prior to carving. Your veggies can stay in the oven if they need to cook more or cover with foil to keep warm.
Carve the pork with a sharp knife and serve with the vegetables. Use some apple sauce/cranberry sauce to finish off the dish.