Jerk Pork - My 200th post

This pork recipe is one that I got out of a J.O book, I had to change it somewhat because the original recipe said to use ginger in the salsa but I am allergic, even the smallest amount of ginger makes my breathing laboured, and gives me a really irritating cough, but a large amount of ginger and I feel my oesophagus closing and getting tight, so I didn’t add any ginger. We don’t like coriander/cilantro – so I used parsley instead, I read somewhere that it is an acceptable substitute. I also didn’t use a bone in piece of pork, I know all the facts about it adding flavour – I have been getting better, and putting my bone “phobia” aside but there are times when I just feel ill at the thought of it. This was one of times; I have to admit it was probably because bones and pork are two things that put me off before I’ve even started. The pork though was rather tasty and I will probably use the cooking method again, as for the salsa next time I’ll make it with less lime, it was a little too citric for my liking.

Jerk Pork

                                                                                                                            For Jerk Salsa 

5kg pork, skin on                                                                                                1-2 chillies (Your preferred sort)

Salt and pepper                                                                                                  2 bunches of spring onions

Pinch of rosemary and thyme                                                                             1tsp ground cinnamon

1tsp nutmeg                                                                                                        1tsp ground cloves

Olive oil                                                                                                               2tsp ground allspice

2 x 500ml cider                                                                                                    3 limes

                                                                                                                             3 bay leaves

                                                                                                                             2 cloves garlic, peeled

                                                                                                                             1-2tbsp honey

                                                                                                                              Olive oil

                                                                                                                              Large bunch parsley

1.       Preheat your oven to 240˚C/475˚F. Using a sharp knife score the skin of your pork to about a cm deep and massage the salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and nutmeg with a little olive oil all over the meat, and into the scores. Put the pork skin side up into a roasting pan with one of the bottles of cider, bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 130˚C/250˚F.

2.       After an hour add the remaining bottle of cider and cook for about 3 hours, cover the roasting pan with tin foil and return to the oven for a further 3-4 hours.

3.       Transfer the meat to a serving platter; discard the fat, keeping the cooking juices. Place all the salsa ingredients into a liquidizer and pulse until it has a salsa looking consistency, and then mix in with the meat juices taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.

4.       Remove the crackling from the meat, discarding the fat and place on a serving platter. Using two forks shred the pork, and then toss together with the salsa, and serve on a bed of rice.