Sometimes, the most memorable meals begin before you’ve even turned on the oven. It could be standing at your local butcher, having a chat, and choosing a cut that feels just right for the week ahead. For a lot of Aussie households, that choice is free-range pork—and it’s not just about taste. It’s about feeling good about what you’re putting on the table.
Free-range pork brings a kind of honesty to the plate. It’s uncomplicated, packed with flavour, and feels like something real. Pair it with something a little sweet and a little bold—like a spiced plum jam—and suddenly, you’ve got a dish that feels both grounded and a bit special. That’s precisely what the Crispy Rolled Pork Leg with Spiced Plum Jam delivers. It’s a bit of tradition, a touch of flair, and a lot of good eating.
Free-range pork feels better in every sense.
Let’s face it—we all want to know where our food comes from and that it’s been looked after correctly. Free-range pork answers that.
These animals aren’t rushed or packed into pens. They live more naturally, which tends to lead to meat that’s got real depth and texture. It tastes the way pork should—rich but clean, satisfying without being heavy.
Ask your butcher, and you’ll usually hear a story about a nearby farm, which is not a massive facility. There’s comfort in that. And yes, it shows up in every bite.
The pork in the Crispy Rolled Pork Leg with Spiced Plum Jam speaks for itself—honest meat, simple ingredients, a bit of know-how, and a result that leaves you feeling good.
Crackling that doesn’t feel like a splurge.
You know the sound—that first crunch when the knife hits just the right spot. Crackling is a treat, sure, but it doesn’t have to come with guilt.
When the pork leg is adequately rolled and roasted with care—no extra oils or tricky steps—you get that crisp skin naturally. It’s just good pork, salted well, given the heat it needs to do its thing.
And it’s not just for show. That crispy layer plays off the soft meat underneath and turns every slice into a mix of textures that feels a bit luxurious without going over the top.
Flavour the family actually talks about
Feeding everyone can be a juggle. This meal helps you skip the arguments. It’s familiar enough for the kids and just interesting enough for the adults.
The plum jam brings a little zing and sweetness—nothing too fancy, just a subtle lift that turns a roast into something a little brighter. And because it’s made from fruit and spice, not additives, it fits into that whole real-food thing a lot of families are aiming for.
Cook a bit extra and keep the jam in the fridge. It’s brilliant in a sandwich the next day or spooned over grilled chops or veggies later in the week.
The big payoff, low-stress
You know that feeling when you check the oven and realise dinner’s basically taken care of? This is that kind of meal.
Once the pork’s seasoned and tied up, most of the hard work is done. It cooks itself while you sort out everything else. And when it’s ready? You’ve got crackling, tender slices, and a sauce that looks like you spent way more time than you did.
It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel on top of things.
Ingredients
- 2.5 kilogram Boned rolled leg of pork
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Sea salt flakea
Spiced plum jam
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 small Brown onion (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 clove Garlic (crushed)
- 825 gram Can red plums (drained)
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 2 Star anise
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 4 Cardamom pods (bruised)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 240°C/220°C fan forced. Place pork into a roasting pan lined with baking paper. Rub pork rind with oil and then with salt. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until crackling is crisp.
- Reduce oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced and cook pork for 1 hour 45 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from oven and rest pork for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make spice plum sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Add ginger, garlic, plums, sugar and vinegar and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to the boil. Add star anise, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until a thick and jam-like. Transfer to a bowl and cool.
- Serve pork with the spiced plum jam.
Notes
Tip
Once the pork crackling is golden brown, cover loosely with foil to prevent it burning.
For best results, dry the pork with paper towel. Place, uncovered, in the fridge overnight to air dry. Let pork stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
Leftovers that aren’t a let-down
Cold pork can be boring. But this? This is lunch you actually look forward to.
The meat stays tender, which means you can tuck it into wraps, layer it in grain bowls, or pile it onto a sandwich with whatever greens you’ve got on hand. Add a little of that leftover jam, and suddenly, it feels like something new.
Less waste. Less thinking. It’s just good food, twice over.
Something worth sitting down for
Some meals bring people to the table and keep them there a little longer. This pork leg is one of them.
Whether it’s Sunday or just a night where you all need something comforting, it fits. It’s warm, familiar, and just different enough to spark a bit of conversation.
And at the centre of it all? These are delicious ingredients, prepared with care and shared with the people who matter most.
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