Sunday Roast Pork with Crackling, Apple Sauce & Gravy

• 1.8 kgpork loin joint with rind, scored and dried
• 1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 1 tspcrushed fennel seeds (optional) (optional)
• 2 tspsea salt (for the rind)
• 1 tbspolive oil
• ½ tspground cinnamon (optional) (optional)
• 1 tbspcaster sugar
• 600 geating apples, peeled and chopped
• 15 mllemon juice
• 400 mlhot pork or chicken stock
• 1 tbspplain flour
• 1 kgMaris Piper potatoes (for roast potatoes)
• 25 gunsalted butter
• 4thyme sprigs (optional)
• 3 tbspolive oil, for the roast potatoes

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9. Pat the pork rind bone dry, then score it deeply at 5 mm intervals with a sharp knife, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Rub the salt firmly into every score, brush the meat (not the rind) with olive oil, season with the pepper and press the crushed fennel seeds into the cuts if using.
2. 2Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and continue for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until a probe in the thickest part reads 75°C for 30 seconds. Start checking early, as joint thickness matters more than the clock.
3. 3While the pork is in, make the apple sauce. Tip the apples into a small pan with the sugar, lemon juice and any optional cinnamon and 50 ml water. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, lid on, until the apples collapse, then crush roughly with a fork to a soft, jammy texture. Keep warm.
4. 4While the pork roasts, peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Parboil in salted water for 8–10 minutes, drain and shake in the pan to roughen their edges. About 40 minutes before the pork is due out, heat the 3 tablespoons of potato oil in a separate roasting tray for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, turn to coat and put them on the shelf above the pork. Turn once during cooking.
5. 5When the pork is cooked, lift it onto a warm board and increase the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Give the potatoes another 20–30 minutes until crisp and golden. Rest the pork loosely covered, keeping the rind uncovered. If the crackling is soft, carefully remove it from the joint and put it under a hot grill briefly, watching constantly and checking every minute. Meanwhile leave about 2 tbsp fat and the browned juices in the pork tin. Stir in the flour over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, whisk in the stock and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Swirl in the butter, taste and season.
6. 6Carve the pork in thick slices, snapping the crackling into shards with the back of a knife. Pile onto warm plates with the roasties, a generous spoonful of apple sauce and a flood of hot gravy. Finish with the optional thyme leaves and a crack of black pepper.

Per serving

kcal

313

protein

4.4g

fibre

6.2g

carbs

47.8g

fat

13g