Pork roast has always been considered comfort food and a staple for Sunday or Holiday feasts. This marinated version is sure to elevate the dish to a whole new level. From now on, your pork roast will conceal a well-kept secret making everybody wonder about the difference. Nearly all marinades for pork contain garlic, but now, each garlic clove has been “caressed” in a green olive and “bathed” in brine adding unique taste notes. Added to that, the smoky flavor of Kalamata olives infused in the roasting pan juices will put the finishing touch to your irresistible gravy.
What you need
1 large boneless piece of pork (2 – 2.5 kg.)
8 Latrovalis green olives stuffed with garlic
100 gr. Latrovalis pitted Kalamata olives
1 small orange
1 medium onion
100 ml. extra virgin olive oil
100 ml. semisweet red wine
2 tablespoons Dijon or English mustard
All-spice berries
Black pepper corns
Coriander seeds
Dried herbs (oregano/thyme/rosemary)
Paprika
Coarse sea salt
Fresh rosemary
Bay leaves
Beef stock
corn flour
Preparing the marinade
Place all-spice berries, black pepper corns, coriander seeds, dried herbs (oregano/thyme/rosemary), paprika and coarse sea salt in a food processor. The quantities depend on how spicy you prefer your meat and how big a piece you will marinade. Pulse everything a few times. You want the spices to break up but not become a powder. Add the green olives stuffed with garlic, the orange cut in small pieces together with its peel (use an unwaxed orange if you can find it, otherwise scrub the peel well), the onion cut in pieces, the extra virgin olive oil, the semisweet red wine and the mustard. Blend the marinade well.
Marinating the pork
Pat the pork dry with kitchen paper and place in a container where it will fit exactly and the lid closes well. Pour the marinade and massage the meat all over for a few minutes. Add a few twigs of fresh rosemary and 3 – 4 bay leaves. Close the lid well and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Every 6 – 8 hours, open the container and massage the meat with the marinade for a couple of minutes.
Roasting the pork
A couple of hours before roasting the pork, remove it from the refrigerator, place it in a roasting pan, pour over all the marinade, and let it rest to return to room temperature. Heat the oven to 1750 C / 3500 F. Roast the pork for about 2 hours. Every now and then, baste the pork with the marinade and juices from the roasting pan. Add warm beef stock if you see the marinade and juices drying up. After 90 minutes start checking to see if the pork is done by using a long wooden skewer to see how tender the inside of the meat has become. Depending on the oven and the size of the piece of pork, less or more roasting time may be required. When you see that the pork is done, take it out of the oven, place it on a wooden cutting board and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing it.
Preparing the gravy
Strain the marinade and juices from the roasting pan in a small pot. Add double the amount of beef stock. If, for example, the marinade and juices make up one cup, add two cups of beef stock. In a mug or glass, add one tablespoon of corn flour and five tablespoons of cold water for every cup of gravy. For the previous example, you would need 3 tablespoons of corn flour and 15 tablespoons of cold water. Blend the corn flour into the cold water by stirring thoroughly, making sure there are no clots. Add the corn flour mixture to the gravy and bring to a simmer until it has thickened.
Slice your Marinated Pork Roast thickly and douse each slice generously with the gravy. Serve with roasted potatoes, vegetables, or any other accompaniments you prefer. Mouths will hum and eyes will roll because this pork roast is simply heavenly!
