Pork Roast Recipe
Easy French recipe for pork roast in a Dutch oven or lidded enamel pot, cooked with rosemary, potatoes in a glossy cider sauce and served with buttered apples or braised red cabbage on the side.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or lidded enamel pot
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lb) pork tenderloin or boneless pork shoulder see NOTES
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary (thyme or sage)
- 25 g (1oz/ ¼ stick) butter, unsalted
- 1 large shallot finely chopped (or small onion)
- 500 g (1lb) small potatoes washed, unpeeled, halved if large
- ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
- 300 ml (1 cup) dry cider 'cidre brut' (about 5% alcohol) otherwise unsweetened apple juice
- 2 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Buttered Apples (optional)
- 500 g (1 lb) apples (Golden Delicious, Cox's Pippins) organic
- 25 g (1 oz) butter, unsalted
Instructions
- Heat the butter over a medium heat in an enamel pot that will fit the meat perfectly. Add the rosemary to the meat (wedging sprigs in the string if pork shoulder). Seize the meat on all sides with the chopped shallot. When brown, add the potatoes, and sauté until golden, tossing them around in the pork juices about 3 minutes.
- Glaze with the cidre and let it sizzle. Turn down the heat to low, cover and leave to simmer for 1½ hours (or cook in the oven at 170°C/350°F (150°C fan/Gas 3). Turn the meat and potatoes half way through cooking, basting the roast with the juices. Cooking times will be slightly less for tenderloin - about an hour.
- Pierce the centre of the pork with a skewer to check that no pink juices are left inside. When juices run clear, remove the roast on to a chopping board and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, turn the heat up to low-medium to thicken the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the cornflour with 2 tablespoon of the cooking juices and quickly stir or whisk in the cornflour mixture to thicken nicely, ensuring all the juices are taken from the bottom of the pan.
Buttered Apples (optional)
- 20 minutes before the end of cooking, wash, quarter and core the apples (peel if not organic). Cut each quarter into 2 slices. Melt the rest of the butter in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the apples for 6-8 minutes (keep your eye on them; no more than 10 otherwise they'll turn mushy) until golden.
Presentation
- Discard the layers of fat (pork shoulder) to discover a tender pork roast. Slice and serve on plates, surrounded by the cidre juice, potatoes and serve with the buttered apples or braised red cabbage (see recipe link below).
Notes
To Serve: Serve on a large serving dish with the meat cut into slices (trimmed of fat) and surround with the potatoes and sauce.
Delicious served with the buttered sliced apples or vegetables such as braised red cabbage. Which pork is best? Use either tenderloin or pork shoulder, both the most tender.
First ensure the pork is removed from the fridge for about an hour before cooking (this tenderises the meat better) and remove any moisture with paper towels.
In France, the roast pork joint is lean and enveloped with fat and tied at intervals to keep it intact during cooking. You can also cover your roast completely with streaky bacon and tie together with cooking string. Otherwise no need for tenderloin, as the cidre juices keep the meat tender and cooking times will be slightly less. Variation: Just before the end of cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche or cream and reduce. Storage for leftovers: any leftover pork roast should be cooled then placed in a sealed container (avoid foil) for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to a month. Nutrition per serving: total fat 18%, 35g total carbohydrate, 38g protein.
Delicious served with the buttered sliced apples or vegetables such as braised red cabbage. Which pork is best? Use either tenderloin or pork shoulder, both the most tender.
First ensure the pork is removed from the fridge for about an hour before cooking (this tenderises the meat better) and remove any moisture with paper towels.
In France, the roast pork joint is lean and enveloped with fat and tied at intervals to keep it intact during cooking. You can also cover your roast completely with streaky bacon and tie together with cooking string. Otherwise no need for tenderloin, as the cidre juices keep the meat tender and cooking times will be slightly less. Variation: Just before the end of cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche or cream and reduce. Storage for leftovers: any leftover pork roast should be cooled then placed in a sealed container (avoid foil) for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to a month. Nutrition per serving: total fat 18%, 35g total carbohydrate, 38g protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal
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