Scandinavian Recipe #5: Pork Roast with Cracklings (Flæskesteg)

     This entry is a few weeks late because of computer issues. However, it doesn't change the fact that it is a great recipe, and I can see why the Danish people eat it every year.
    This was my first attempt at a Scandinavian main dish. I was a bit hesitant to start with such an important recipe. This style pork roast or flæskesteg is the main dish eaten for Christmas dinner in Denmark. It's so popular that it is considered a national dish in Denmark.

• 5 lb. pork roast (neck or shoulder works well), with thick layer of fat
• 1 Tbsp. coarse or kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. whole mustard seeds
• 5 bay leaves, crumbled into small pieces
• 3 cups boiling water

Preparation:

Notice the cross hatches. 

     Preheat oven to 450º. Remove the bone if your roast has one. The bone will change the cooking time entirely, and should be removed before continuing. This is a fairly simple process, if time consuming. (If you are uncomfortable attempting this process then talk to your butcher. They should be willing to do this for you for free.) Pat the pork roast with paper towels until it is as dry as possible. Then, using a sharp kitchen knife, cut halfway through the fat (but not into the meat) in horizontal lines 1/2" apart. Cut vertical lines 1/2" apart until entire layer of fat is cross-hatched.

     In a small bowl, combine salt, ground cloves, mustard seeds, and crumbled bay leaves. Rub mixture all over pork, taking care to workas much as possible into the cross-hatched layer of fat.

     Place roast on a rack in a deep roasting pan and bake on center rack of oven until top crackling is crisp and golden brown (about 30 minutes). Reduce heat to 350º and carefully pour 3 cups of boiling water into bottom of roasting pan (watch out for the steam!). Cook for an additional hour or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF. Let the meat rest for at least 15-20 minutes. 

     Remove crackling from roast, cut into thin slices, and serve alongside sliced pork.

Yield: 8-10 slices of pork with crackling.

     I was amazed at how juicy this was when it came out of the oven and even after letting it rest for 20 minutes it was still juicy. Removing the crackling was a bit tough. It was not terribly easy to cut it off without removing a thin layer of meat. I imagine this will improve with practice. I'm planning on making this recipe at least 2 more times before the big day. Also, the crackling didn't seem to stretch to the full 10 servings. (I can see this possibly being an issue at TH2 because this will be self-serve) This is either because it was too tasty and I screwed up my portion control or I got a pork roast with a smaller fat cap. Overall, this will make a great addition to the Main Course portion of my menu. It has a nice spiced pork flavor that most Americans will recognize, but won't find too odd.  The best part was just how easy this was to make. Very few ingredients, only a few steps, and a great taste, there is not much more I can ask for in a Thanksgiving 2.7 option. 

Next up: Swedish "Royal Pot Roast" or Slotsttek