Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [33]
5. Season the pork roast with the remaining salt and pepper. Place a rack in a large roasting pan, then put a square of aluminum foil in the center of the rack. Place the roast on top of the foil (the foil will prevent the stuffing from falling out). Pack the stuffing into the center of the roast, mounding it slightly. You will have some extra stuffing, to be cooked in a separate dish during the last hour with the roast; keep the remaining stuffing refrigerated until then. Cover the tips of the bones with a band of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning and place a piece of aluminum foil over the stuffing. Pour about 1 cup (250 ml) water, or enough to cover the bottom of the pan, into the roasting pan.
6. Roast the pork for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Continue to roast for 3½ to 3¼ hours (depending on the size of the roast), or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 150°F (65°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Check the roast every so often to make sure there is still some water covering the bottom of the pan, and add more if necessary.
7. An hour before you estimate that the pork will be ready, put the remaining stuffing in a shallow baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the oven.
8. When the pork and the stuffing are cooked, remove them from the oven. Transfer the roast to a warm platter and let it to rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil. During this time, the internal temperature of the pork should rise to 155°F (68°C). Keep the extra stuffing warm.
9. Pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a glass measuring cup (set the pan aside). Let stand briefly, and skim off the fat. You should have about 1 cup (250 ml) liquid; if necessary, make up the difference with additional stock, orange juice, or water. Add this liquid to the roasting pan, along with with the pork stock and the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) orange juice. Bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in the honey, then lower the heat. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk into the sauce. Return to a boil, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper, then strain through a sieve and keep warm.
10. Remove the foil and string from the pork. Carve the roast into individual chops, and serve with the stuffing and sauce.
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Carving Pork Loin and Crown Roasts
As your butcher will have removed the chine, or backbone, bone-in loin roasts and crown roasts simply need to be sliced down between the bones.
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Chinese-Style Spareribs
My childhood friend Melinda and I attended the same school as our mothers had. I remember going to the restaurant her mother owned, one of the finest Chinese restaurants in Melbourne, complete with chefs from Hong Kong. There I learned about shark’s fin soup, jellyfish, and other delights. When I asked Melinda for a sparerib recipe, she suggested this one. Now living in Frankfurt, Germany, she likes to return to her roots by preparing a Chinese dinner for friends. Melinda makes this dish ahead of time so she can remove the fat and have one dish already prepared; it reheats beautifully. I couldn’t resist adding the sliced green onions. Have the butcher cut the ribs for you.
1 rack spareribs, about 2¼ pounds (1 kg), cut crosswise in half through the bones and papery membrane removed (see page 73)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
¼ cup (60 ml) fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup (75 ml) julienned fresh ginger
1 chile pepper, such as Serrano, seeded and finely chopped
1½ cups (375 ml) Pork Stock (page 58)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
4 green onions, sliced in ½-inch (1-cm) lengths
1. Cut the racks into individual ribs. In a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ribs, in batches, and brown well. Remove the ribs as they brown and