SALT AND VINEGAR PORK LOIN WITH ROASTED AUTUMN VEG & BLUEBERRY COMPÔTE

Vinegar brining ensures perfectly moist meat for this autumnal pork roast. We’ve nestled it into a delectable bake of root veg and fragrant fennel, but you can vary the vegetables according to what is available – just ensure you have 800-900g total.

Prep:
40 mins + brining time
Cook:
90 mins
Serves:
6-8

Ingredients

 100ml apple cider vinegar 

100ml water

 1⁄4 cup coarse sea salt plus extra for rubbing the skin

 2 Tbsp sugar

 2 bay leaves, crushed

1-1.2 kg rolled pork loin

 1 leek, sliced

 1 large fennel bulb sliced into thin wedges

 2 parsnips peeled and sliced

 400g potatoes peeled and sliced

 400g kūmara peeled and sliced

 2 tsp fennel seeds

 4 Tbsp olive oil

 300ml Farro chicken stock

Blueberry Compôte

 1 1⁄2 cups blueberries defrosted if using frozen

 2 Tbsp sugar

 2 tsp corn flour mixed with 1 Tbsp water

 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Start the brining process at least 24 hours ahead of time.

To make the brine, put the 1⁄4 cup salt, sugar, and bay leaves in small bowl. Bring the vinegar and water to a simmer in a small pan, then pour over the salt and sugar mix. Allow to cool.

Score the skin of the pork and pat dry. Rub the skin and cuts with some extra salt. Place the pork, skin side up, into a large baking dish that is just large enough to hold it snugly. Carefully pour the brine into the dish so that it covers the meat but not the skin. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight (this helps dry the skin out for great crackling).

About an hour before you’re ready to cook, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Allow the meat to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

In a large roasting dish, toss together the leek, fennel, parsnip, potatoes, kūmara, and fennel seeds with 3 tablespoons olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken stock and cover with foil. Cook for 40 minutes. Remove the foil from the vegetables and press down with a spatula. Rub the pork skin with the remaining oil and a sprinkling of sea salt then place the meat, skin side up, onto the vegetables in the centre of the roasting pan.

Lower the heat to 180°C and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the meat has an internal temperature of 63°C.

Carefully remove the pork from the dish and poke the vegetables with a knife or skewer to check they’re cooked through. If not, return them to the oven to finish.

If the pork hasn’t crackled, place it onto a baking dish and finish the skin under the grill, watching it carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing, then return to the vegetable dish and serve with the blueberry compôte alongside.

For the Blueberry Compôte: Put the blueberries, sugar, and 1⁄4 cup water in a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the blueberries begin to burst. Stir through the cornflour slurry and cook for a further minute until it thickens. Remove from the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Set aside to cool before using.