There are fifty ways to leave your lover and plenty of ways to roast a lump of pork, but my Mum found this method and from that moment on, we have never roasted pork any other way.

You can use any cut, or joint, of pork for this method, but because there’s only 3 of us, I invariably buy a small joint of belly pork. With this cut, you get a good proportion of skin. This means a nice amount of crackling, which surely is one of the main points of eating roast pork.

Alex calls crackling ‘crunch’ and cooking it with this method, you will see why.

Now, because this cooks at such a low temperature, apparently it is important to check that your oven reaches the correct temperature when cooking at such a low temp. GM1 on the dial may not be GM1 in the oven.
So if you’re cooking a 4 kg joint of pork for your close friends and admirers, I am sure I would splash out on a (low cost anyway) oven thermometer.
Can you imagine serving raw pork to a crowd? Nightmare. Anyway, we shall assume your oven works and this is the way it goes:

Pat the pork dry with kitchen towel, paying attention to the rind; if the rind is not scored, do that with a sharp knife.

Place the pork on a plate, ready for a salting. If you aren’t going to make gravy in the tin, then go ahead and salt it in the tin.
Heat the oven to GM7/425F/220C Check there’s nothing important hiding in the oven – you aren’t going to be opening that door for a while.

Once the oven is up to temperature (this is important – it only gets a brief blast at this heat), sprinkle some salt over the rind. Get it into the scores, but you don’t have to rub hard; it’ll be frazzled later.
Transfer the pork from the plate to a shallow roasting tin.

Put in the oven for 15 mins.
Do not open the oven door. Not even for an emergency.
Turn the heat down to GM1/275F/140C and cook for the remaining hours.
Do not open the oven door during cooking. Really, not even for an emergency. You do not baste it – no you don’t! It’s pork. Pork at that temperature is basting itself.

At the end of the cooking period, remove the pork from the oven, turn the oven up to GM7 again.

Carefully slice the rind off the top of the pork – take a good layer of fat with it.

(Cut into strips with scissors now, whilst it’s floppy.)
Cover the rindless pork loosely with foil and set aside to rest.

Put the rind on a baking tray, and back into the blazing oven for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it – burnt crackling is hideous. Put two timers on if necessary. Wear one of them.
You have 30 mins now to steam/simmer/whatever some vegetables and make some gravy. No pressure. Maybe you could sweep the floor whilst you’re at it.

I would suggest making some sweet potato fries, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Here’s the pork, sliced and ready to plate up.

Heeeeeeeeeere’s the crunch and does it ever crunch. You won’t be able to hear a thing whilst you chew this, so whatever you do, don’t negotiate anything during this meal.

Did I mention it’s fabulously delicious? Because it jolly well is.
Of course, if you are too healthy for crackling, then cut the rind off, spit on it and throw it away. Let the meat rest under its low fat foil and serve it with veg. Sit on sharp stones and sticks. Burn your mouth deliberately.

So, some sweet potato fries?

sweet potatoes (Mine weighed 475g/1 lb 1 oz, enough for 2 adults and 1 child)
1-2 tblsp olive oil
(if no children are eating them, a sprinkling of sea salt wouldn’t go amiss)

Peel the sweet potato and cut into batons.

Toss in a large bowl with the olive oil and seas salt, if using.

Spread out on a baking tray – keeping them in one layer.

Bake at 230C/450F/GM 8 for 30-40 mins, turn them around occasionally.

Here it all is, served and ready to enjoy.

Delish!

Slow Roast Pork

PRINT THIS RECIPE (opens in a new window)

Sweet Potato Fries

PRINT THIS RECIPE (opens in a new window)

sweet potatoes (Mine weighed 475g/1 lb 1 oz, enough for 2 adults and 1 child)
1-2 tblsp olive oil
(if no children are eating them, a sprinkling of sea salt wouldn’t go amiss)

Peel the sweet potato and cut into batons.
Toss in a large bowl with the olive oil and sea salt, if using.

Spread out on a baking tray – keeping them in one layer.
Bake at 230C/450F/GM 8 for 30-40 mins, turn them around occasionally.