Herb stuffed roast pork

A loin of pork is the ideal roasting joint because it has a thick layer of fat, which keeps the tender meat moist while roasting.

A loin of pork is the ideal roasting joint because it has a thick layer of fat, which keeps the tender meat moist while roasting.

Ingredients

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, plus thyme sprigs to garnish (optional)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 amaretti biscuits, crushed
1.4kg boned and rolled loin of pork or boned-out spare rib of pork, skin scored (ask your butcher to do this for you)
3 tsp sea salt
Sunflower oil, for greasing
1 tsp plain flour
600ml pork or chicken stock, hot

For the stuffing

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Preheat the oven to 240°C/fan 220°C/gas 9, or as high as it will go. In a bowl, mix together the sage, thyme, garlic, biscuits, and season well. Unroll the pork, turn over and spread the herb mixture all over the meat side. Reshape the joint and tie with string at 2cm intervals. Weigh to calculate the cooking time (see p80; a 1.4kg joint with about 100g herb filling should take 1¾ hours), then rub 3 tsp salt into the skin, making sure it goes into the slits. Place in a lightly greased roasting tin, skin-side up and roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and roast for the remainder of your calculated roasting time.
Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Fry the onion gently in the butter until soft and lightly browned. Tip into a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs, crushed biscuits, sage and thyme. Season. Stir in the egg, then spoon into a small, buttered ovenproof dish and rough up the surface with a fork. Cover and set aside.
Half an hour before the pork is ready, brush the top of the stuffing with a little melted butter and roast alongside the pork.

When the pork is cooked, remove from the oven and rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off. Lay a sheet of foil on the stuffing and leave in the oven to keep warm.
To make the gravy, pour the excess fat from the tin and put over a medium heat on the hob. Stir in the flour and gradually pour in the stock, stirring and scraping up all the juices from the base as you go. Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced. Strain into a gravy boat. Take the pork to the table, garnished with thyme sprigs, if you like. Remove the string from the pork, slide a knife under the crackling and lift it off. Carve the meat and serve with the crackling, stuffing and gravy.

Nutrition: per serving

This is the ideal roasting joint because it has a thick layer of fat, which keeps the tender meat moist while roasting. Pork loin can be bought with the bone in, so ask your butcher to bone and roll it for you.