Page title and description

Pork & gammon
Roast pork stuffed with chard, garlic and sage, and apple sauce
Ingredients
for the roast
- 1kg pork roast (loin or spare rib), fat scored with a sharp knife, if not already done by your butcher
- 125-150g chard leaves (from about 1 head of chard), tough stalks removed
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
for the gravy
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 100ml white wine or cider
- 600ml veg stock or water
for the apple sauce
- 25g butter
- 450g apples, peeled, cored and diced
- ½ tsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 3 tbsp cider or water
- 1 tbsp caster or light brown sugar
- salt and pepper
Method
Prep time:
15 min
PT15M
Cooking time:
1h
45 min
PT1H45M
main
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 240°C/Gas 9.
Prepare the roast
-
Step 1
In a large pan of boiling water, blanch the chard leaves for 4 minutes. Drain, plunge into a bowl of cold water, then drain again. Squeeze out any excess liquid. -
Step 2
Finely chop the leaves and put in a bowl. Stir in the garlic, sage and olive oil. Season. -
Step 3
Pour a little boiling water over the pork skin to open up the scored fat. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Turn the pork, skin side down. Cut a slit in the middle of the pork, approx ¾ of the way into the meat (follow the natural slit in the pork loin, if using). -
Step 4
Fill the cavity evenly with the chard mixture. Squeeze back together and use 4 pieces of string to tie the pork tightly together. Turn the right way up and sprinkle liberally with salt. -
Step 5
Place in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes. Turn down the heat to 190°C/Gas 5 and roast for another hour. Remove from oven. -
Step 6
If the crackling isn't crisp enough, take a sharp knife and cut away the fat from the meat in one piece – take care as it will be hot. -
Step 7
Put on a non-stick baking tray and continue to roast until crispy and golden brown. Meanwhile, wrap the meat in foil and leave to rest.
To make the gravy
-
Step 1
put the roasting tin with the juices on the hob. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes, until you have a paste. -
Step 2
Add the wine and cook for another minute or so, stirring or whisking constantly to remove any lumps. -
Step 3
Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes to thicken the gravy. Season to taste.
To make the apple sauce
-
Step 1
put all the ingredients in a pan and gently cook, stirring every now and then, until the apples are soft. Mash lightly with a fork or potato masher.