Scandinavian Christmas ~ Flæskesteg (Danish Pork Roast)

Flæskesteg, the Danish version of pork roast, is considered to be one of Denmark's principal national dishes with a tradition of over 120 years. The prep is extremely simple and while it roasts in the oven, you have plenty of time to prepare your side dishes. The main thing that sets the Danish pork roast apart is the crackling skin. Check with your butcher in plenty of time to order a pork roast with the skin on. It can sometimes be found in German or Mexican butcher shops.

For the roast:

4 - 7 pound pork roast with the skin on

2 - 3 T. butter

a handful of coarse grain salt

10 - 14 whole black peppercorns

6 - 8 bay leaves

For the sauce base:

1 t. beef base

1 onion, cut into 8 pieces

1 t. rosemary

1 t. thyme

8 oz. water

For the sauce:

1/4 pint heavy whipping cream

1 T. Danish blue cheese

1 T. red currant jelly

salt and pepper

Score the skin every inch or so. Be careful not to cut into the meat. Rub the skin with butter and salt. make sure to get it in all the cuts in the skin.  This will help to keep the skin crispy. Put the bay leaves and peppercorns in the cuts.

Put the roast on a rack in the roasting pan. Place herbs, onions, water and beef base into the roasting pan under the roast.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place roast into oven and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. The temperature of the roast should reach 167 degrees before serving. Check the roast every so often to make sure liquid remains in the pan.  You'll use it for making the gravy/sauce.

Just before the temperature reaches 167 degrees, pour the drippings from the pan into a saucepan through a strainer and boil the drippings for about 5 minutes. Let the roast stay in the oven. Set the oven to the highest temperature you can and start the broiler. The skin on the roast will bubble up and become crispy. Watch very carefully so that it doesn't burn.

Separate the fat from the drippings, don't use the fat. (The original recipe notes that the fat is good on rye bread with pickled herring. I did not test this theory.)

Add cream, blue cheese, and jam. Taste and add salt if needed. Thicken the sauce with a corn starch slurry (a little corn starch and water whisked together).

Slice roast and serve with the gravy/sauce.

From www.sweetandsavory.com