Roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy

Roast pork leg crackling joint – it’s the business!

Roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy is a quintessentially British dish that has been enjoyed for generations. This delicious and hearty meal is the perfect centrepiece for a Sunday roast, or any gathering with family and friends.

Let’s start with the star of the dish: the pork leg. Pork leg is a popular cut of meat for roasting. It’s relatively lean meat, but has a good amount of fat to keep the meat moist during cooking. When roasted with the skin on, you get a crispy and flavourful crackling that adds an irresistibly crunchy texture. The meat itself is tender and juicy, making it the perfect canvas for a range of seasonings and flavours.

Even better with cider gravy

Cider gravy is another standout element of this dish. Made from a base of cider, pork stock, and pan drippings, this gravy is rich, savoury, and slightly sweet. It perfectly complements the pork, adding an extra layer of flavour and depth to the meal. The combination of the tender meat, crispy crackling, and gravy creates a harmony of flavours and textures that is sure to impress.

You don’t have to use a great cider for your gravy (you’re cooking it, after all), but the finished dish will taste better if you do. I like to use Aspall Cyder. It’s also a really refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day, when a roast dinner might not be the first thing on your mind!

Perfect for a family Sunday roast

One of the reasons why roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy is such a great dish to share with your family and friends is its versatility. You can serve it with a variety of side dishes, such as roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans. It’s also great with roasted parsnips. Plus this dish is easy to prepare in advance, which means you can spend more time with your loved ones.

Sunday roasts are a long-standing tradition in many British households. My roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy is great choice for this special meal. Sharing a meal together on a Sunday is a great way to connect with family and friends.

Ready to get crackling?

The secret to great crackling is to score the skin well, and pour boiling water over it before cooking.

Roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy is a tasty and versatile dish that is perfect for sharing with family and friends, especially as a Sunday roast. The combination of tender meat, crispy crackling, and savoury gravy is sublime. If you want to impress people with your roasting skills, this is the dish for you!

Just mind your fillings on the crackling… it packs a real crispy crunch.

If you really want to impress, try serving this dish with my mouth-watering fondant potatoes.

Roast pork leg crackling joint with cider gravy

Fantastic roast pork recipe with crispy crackling and cider gravy.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine British

Servings 6 people

Calories 500 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 kg pork leg joint
• 1 onions large, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots roughly chopped
• 3 sticks celery roughly chopped
• 1 leek large, roughly chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 cloves garlic lightly crushed with the edge of a knife
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 500 ml pork stock (chicken or veg stock also OK)
• 500 ml dry cider
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 pinch sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

 

For the pork leg joint

• preheat your oven to 180C (350F; gas mark 4)
• deeply score the skin of the joint with a sharp knife. Use a cross-hatch pattern for best results
• boil a kettle of water and slowly pour some of it over the skin. To make this easier, place the joint on a grill in the sink (you don’t need to keep the water)
• place the onion, carrot, celery, leek, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a deep roasting tray
• place the pork joint on top of the vegetables, skin-side up
• season the joint with the salt and pepper, and then rub the olive and seasoning into the skin
• pour the stock and cider over the vegetables
• put the roasting tray in the oven, and cook for 35 minutes per 450g (1lb), plus 35 minutes
• once cooked, place the joint on a grill above the roasting tray, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest before carving

For the cider gravy

• using a potato masher, gently mash the veg in the roasting tray to release the flavour (and some of the starch) into the liquid
• strain the juice into a large measuring jug or mixing bowl, ideally using a conical sieve
• skim off the excess fat from the liquid (top-tip – a few ice cubes dropped in will congeal the fat, making it easier to skim off)
• pour the gravy into a saucepan and re-heat until piping hot
• If necessary, add a little cornflour to thicken the gravy

Carve and serve

• carve your joint and serve with green vegetables and mashed or roasted potatoes, pouring the cider gravy on top

Keyword Cider gravy, Crackling, Roast pork