Lemon & sage stuffed loin of pork

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only

Create the perfect Sunday roast crackling with Mark Sargeant's secret addition. Serve with crispy roast potatoes and sweet roasted carrots

Prep:25 mins
Cook:1 hrs 20 mins

Serves 6
More effort

Nutrition per serving

kcal 542
fat 35g
saturates 12g
carbs 1g
sugars 0g
fibre 1g
protein 55g
salt 0.3g

Ingredients

2kg boned pork loin, reserving the bones for roasting (optional)
zest 2 lemon
small pack sage, leaves roughly chopped
small pack parsley, leaves roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp malt vinegar
caramelised apples with cider (see recipe in 'Goes well with', right) and 100g pack watercress, to serve (optional)

Tip

Make a simple gravy

Scatter 1 tbsp plain flour in the roasting tin and stir over a low heat until the flour becomes a brown and sticky paste. Splash in a glass of white wine and reduce again to a paste. Pour over 400ml chicken stock and simmer until you have a thickened gravy. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a saucepan, ready to reheat when needed.

Method

Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. With a sharp knife, score the skin of the pork in a criss-cross pattern (or ask your butcher to do this). Turn it around so that the flesh side is facing upwards, then cut a slit along the side of the loin, without cutting all the way through, to open it out like a book. Cover the flesh with the lemon zest, sage and parsley, then scatter over the garlic. Season generously and drizzle over 1 tsp olive oil. Roll up the loin and secure tightly with string in 3-4cm intervals. Rub the scored skin with the malt vinegar (which helps it to crackle), then with a large pinch of salt and the remaining oil. Place the pork on the bones (if you have them) on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 mins until the skin is golden and starting to crackle.
After 15 mins, reduce the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and roast for about 1 hr until the pork is tender and very slightly pink in the middle. Rest in a warm place for 10-15 mins before carving. Serve with the apples and some watercress, if you like.