Roast pork with apple sauce

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Ingredients

For the pork

  • 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 celery stick, cut into three
  • 1.5 to 2kg RSPCA Assured joint of pork, either leg, loin or shoulder, skin scored
  • Olive oil, for rubbing
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 sage leaves

For the apple sauce

  • 500g Bramley cooking apples
  • 25g butter
  • Approx 3 tbsp caster sugar

For the gravy

  • 2 tsp plain flour
  • 250ml pork or vegetable stock
  • 200ml apple juice or cider

Tips

  • Drying the pork before you roast helps to make good crackling.
  • Make double the quantity of apple sauce and keep in the fridge to add to yoghurt or porridge at breakfast time. 
  • If you're looking for a meat-free Sunday lunch, try our roasted cauliflower recipe!

Method

For the pork 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
  • Remove the pork from the fridge and pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. 
  • Leave for 30 minutes for the skin to dry and meat to come up to room temperature.
  • Place the onion, carrots and celery into a large roasting tin. Put the joint on top of the vegetables.
  • Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Rub the seasoning into the scored skin.
  • Calculate the cooking time: 35 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 35 minutes. Roast for the calculated time.

For the apple sauce

  • Peel, core and cut the apples into quarters.
  • Place in a pan with 3tbsp cold water. Bring to the boil then reduce to medium, cover and cook for six to eight minutes until the apples are soft and pulpy.
  • Remove from the heat and beat with a wooden spoon until the apples are smooth.  
  • Add the butter and enough sugar to sweeten the sauce to your liking.
  • Cook for a further couple of minutes until you have a smooth sauce.

For the gravy

  • When the pork is cooked, transfer onto a serving plate or board and rest covered with foil for 15 minutes.
  • Spoon off as much surface fat from the pan juices as you can.
  • Mash the onion, carrots and celery into the pan and place the roasting tin on the hob and reheat the juices. Stir in the flour.
  • Then cook very gently for two minutes, stirring, before gradually adding the stock and apple juice or cider.
  • Stir continuously for about five minutes or until the sauce thickens. Strain and season with salt and pepper.

To serve

  • Serve the pork with the apple sauce, gravy and a selection of vegetables like roast potatoes, savoy cabbage, peas and broccoli.
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