Roast Leg of Pork is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a leg of pork that's stuffed with sage and onion, before being roasted and served with a gravy made from the pan juices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Roast Leg of Pork.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
ROAST LEG OF PORK.
800. INGREDIENTS.—Leg of pork, a little oil for stuffing. (See Recipe No. 504.)
Mode.—Choose a small leg of pork, and score the skin across in narrow strips, about 1/4 inch apart. Cut a slit in the knuckle, loosen the skin, and fill it with a sage-and-onion stuffing, made by Recipe No. 504. Brush the joint over with a little salad-oil (this makes the crackling crisper, and a better colour), and put it down to a bright, clear fire, not too near, as that would cause the skin to blister. Baste it well, and serve with a little gravy made in the dripping-pan, and do not omit to send to table with it a tureen of well-made apple-sauce. (Sec No. 363.)
Time.—A leg of pork weighing 8 lbs., about 3 hours.
Take a sharp knife and score the score the skin all over in narrow strips about 6mm apart. Cut a slit in the knuckle, loosen the skin and fill this gap with sage and onion stuffing. Brush the joint all over with olive oil then place on a rack in a roasting tin.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 220°C and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C and continue roasting for 50 minutes per kg, ensuring that when the pork is done, the juices run clear.
Remove the pork from the roasting tin, and set aside, covered with foil to rest for 20 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the roasting tin then pour in about 300ml lightly-salted water and bring to a simmer. Strain this gravy into a sauce boat.
Serve the pork accompanied by the gravy and apple sauce.
