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1
Make sure the skin of the pork is well scored.
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2
Salt the skin well and leave it to sit for several hours.
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3
You can do this the day before and leave the roast uncovered in your fridge overnight.
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4
If you chill it overnight, ensure you bring it up to room temperature before you start the rest of the preparation.
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5
Turn your oven on to heat to 240 celcius
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6
slice the onions and pears into slivers and layer on the bottom of deep roasting pan.
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7
Make the shape and size of the mound roughly the same size as the bottom of your pork roast.
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8
Lightly crush the juniper berries and cinnamon.
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9
Spread them and the other spices and sugar over the pear and onion.
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10
Sprinkle a little salt over it.
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11
Drizzle a little olive oil over the pear/onion/spice layer.
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12
Use paper towels to remove the moisture drawn out of the pork by the salt.
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13
Wipe the skin clean and then LIGHTLY resalt it including the meat surface.
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14
Grind black pepper over it.
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15
Place the pork on top of the pear and onion layers.
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16
Pour your water or wine into the base of the roasting pan.
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17
Don't pour it over the meat.
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18
Place the roasting pan into the hot oven and leave for 20 minutes.
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19
Remove the pan from the oven and either cover it with a tight fitting lid or cover it well with several layers of tinfoil.
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20
Turn the oven down to 140 celcius and return the pan to the oven.
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21
Cook for around 7.5 - 8 hours.
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22
Remove the pan from the oven every 1.5 hours or so, uncover the meat and baste it with the juices/water/wine mixture.
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23
Re-cover and return to the oven.
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24
At the end of the cooking period, remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven heat up to 210 - 220 celcius.
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25
Remove the pork from the pan and drain the collected juices, pear and onion into another dish.
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26
Put the pork back into pan with the cut side of the meat downward so all the skin is exposed.
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27
Do NOT cover it.
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28
Place the pan back into the hot oven and leave for 1 to 1.5 hours.
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29
Put a sieve over a pot and drain the juices/pear/onion into it.
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30
Use the back of spoon and press the onion and pear through the sieve.
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31
This will be the basis of your sauce.
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32
Check the pork.
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33
You are looking for the skin to become browned and crisp.
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34
The areas where the skin was in contact with the pear/onion layers may blacken.
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35
Don't worry about it.
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36
Remove the pork from the oven and cover lightly with tinfoil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes or so.
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37
Skim the fat from the surface of your sauce base.
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38
Put on to an element, bring it to the boil and reduce it by one third.
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39
Remove the skin from the pork and cut into strips (you'll probably need to use scissors for this).
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40
Carve the pork and place on a platter with the crackling.
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41
The pork should be tender enough to almost fall apart.
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42
Turn the sauce onto high heat and ensure it is boiling furiously.
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43
Add 1 tablespoon of COLD butter and stir in quickly.
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44
This should thicken the sauce.
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45
Serve!
