Flæskesteg - Danish roast pork with crackling

Flæskesteg. 

Get it out of the fridge. Is it thin or thick? has it got a lot of fat or is it lean? is it 1kg or 3?

Mine was about 1.5kg lean and thin. So this time I will roast it suspended over a watherbath on high heat with a thermometer to make sure I do not overcook it.

Usually I like to cook the rind face down in boiling water for 20 minutes to loosen it up but since this roast is thin and lean I might risk not getting a nice crackling on top since it would cook beyond 65c in the center. If you have a nice big fat one, you can start off with this trick and then turn it over and follow the rest of this recipe. Please also take it out of the fridge about an hour before you begin cooking the get it to room temperature.

Make sure your rind is cut well. It needs to be cut all the way to the silverskin that sits just above the meat. Look at the picture below where I have cut all the way down to it. You need to do this to get a good crackling. If you cut into the meat the juices will bleed into the crackling making it soft and chewie.

 

So salt. It is controversial but I like to use a lot. Distribute it evenly and massage it into the roast.

 

Use tin foil to create an even and stable platform for your roast. This way the rind will cook evenly.

Did I mention you can put bey leaf underneath? Use plenty if you like the taste.

Put in the oven, high heat ~220c. Use hot air and grill if your oven has it. Otherwise just hot air. No hot air? do 235c.

Cook for 20 minutes and your roast should look like the picture below.

Reduce the heat to 180c since the crackling just needs to cook slowly now as it has achieved a nice browning.

Peal your potatoes, carrots etc. Anything goes really. Put it in cold salted water so it is ready for when you have about 30 minutes left on the roast.

Time for the sauce. 

In a small pot pour 2-4 dl redwine. Do not use the cheapest you can find, get a nice box that you can use for cooking. 

Add some herbs. I like Thyme and a bit of Rosemary.

Add pepper corns, 10-20 depending on how you like it.

Reduce the redwine slowly with the herbs on medium beat. It should be shimmering. Reduce it to about 1/3 and discard the herbs.

Add 1/2l of 38% cream and bring it to a boil.

Tip: When adding salt start by adding 1 part, then 1/2 of that and again half of that until you reach the taste you want. Remember when you recude a sauce you concentrate it and the salt intensifies the flavor so do not add extra salt until you are almost done. We will wait until the roast is done.

Time to add starch to thicken the sauce. Mix it with water.

The sauce should be boiling when you add it. Add half while stirring. Boil for a minute and check the thickness. Not thick enough? add half of the remaining starch. Repeat until you are happy.

I use a spoon to check. This looks right to me.

Will you look at that. An hour has passed and the roast is almost done.

Looks done to me.

When your roast is done cooking and is ready to rest, add some of the liquid to your source. Remember to taste it, it could be very salty. Use the tip from before, add half and then keep adding half until you are happy. If it still needs more salt then just add some more. It's that simple.

 

Remember to siphon the liquid as you do not want any impurities.

Let the roast rest for 20 minutes on a cutting board. No it will not get cold, it will get hotter! Center temperature will rise to 68c and it will be done when your potatoes and greens are ready. You did remember to boil them right? otherwise now is the time when your roast rests.

Good luck!