Roast pork with cider gravy

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
Hand and spring of pork is a cheaper cut that becomes irresistibly tender and juicy with slow-cooking – cook for a crowd and serve with a rich gravy

Prep:20 mins
Cook:5 hrs 20 mins

Serves 8
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 677
fat 39.3g
saturates 13.9g
carbs 9.2g
sugars 7g
fibre 3.2g
protein 62.3g
salt 1g

Ingredients

1 boned and rolled hand and spring of pork, skin scored (about 4kg)
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
3 leek, roughly chopped
2 carrot, roughly chopped
1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped
2 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 sprig sage
500ml cider
500ml hot chicken stock
25g butter
25g flour

Tip

Hand & spring of pork

The hand and spring is the upper part of the pig’s foreleg. It is usually sold boned and rolled as a joint. You'll need to ring ahead to your local butcher to buy it but it's well worth it.

Method

Heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7. Score the skin of the pork and rub with olive oil and sea salt. Put the pork, leeks, carrots, turnip and herbs in large high-sided roasting pan and pour in the cider and stock. Roast for 30 minutes, then take the roasting tray out of the oven and cover tightly with foil. Return to the oven and turn the heat to 150C/ 130C fan/ gas 2.
After 4 hours, remove the foil, turn the oven back up again to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7 and roast for another 30 minutes.
Take the pork out of the oven, remove the meat, cover and set aside to rest. Drain the cooking liquid, pouring off any excess fat. Either serve or discard the cooking vegetables.
To make the gravy, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes then whisk in the cooking liquid. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve alongside the meat. Delicious with braised red cabbage and roast potatoes.