This hearty all-season dish is the perfect vehicle for high-quality certified free-range pork. It features an array of healthy and unique ingredients, from pine nuts and sage leaves to sourdough breadcrumbs and apples.
With the right meat from a free-range butcher, this recipe can be the perfect main dish for a dinner party or any occasion where you have to impress guests with a unique and delicious meal.
Why Use Free Range Pork?
Free-range pork comes from pigs with access to open-air pens lined with straw. Firstly, this arrangement is better for the animals because they can roam more freely and access the outdoors. If you want to support ethical farming, outdoor-bred is the best option.
You should also seek a free-range butcher who sources meat from producers who do not rely on hormones to fatten their pigs or antibiotics to ward off illnesses. These unwanted substances pass from the meat to the person eating it, detracting from the dish’s health benefits.
The source of pork also affects the taste. Free-range pork is leaner and more flavourful than factory-raised varieties. It is the superior option for any recipe in terms of ethics, health, and taste.
The Health Benefits of Our Rolled Pork Shoulder Recipe
Free-range pork from a free-range butcher has higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which help heart health. It also has more antioxidants and vitamin D to aid immunity and improve the production of hormones like serotonin that positively affect your mood.
The other ingredients in this recipe also have the dual benefits of great flavour and healthfulness.
- Pine nuts are a lean protein source with a deep nutty flavour that adds to the dish. These nuts also have high concentrations of magnesium and vitamin E, which promote skin health and enhance immune system responses.
- Leeks provide a milder, more complex flavour than other onion species. That adds to the fresh taste of this dish, and they have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
- Sage leaves provide a strong, warm flavour to the dish, bringing an earthiness and a pine-like scent. This herb is rich in antioxidants, which promote overall health and immune function. It also contains vitamin K, which improves blood health and reduces the risk of clotting and other cardiovascular issues.
The ingredients combine to create a unique dish, but it all starts with choosing the correct pork.
Your Source for Free-Range Pork
Your rolled pork shoulder recipe should start with the best butcher in Melbourne. At Church Street Butcher, we provide certified free-range pork with shoulder cuts that are ideal for roasting. Our meat is lean but not so lean that it becomes dry during cooking.
If you want the best meats for your rolled pork shoulder with leeks, sage, and pine nut stuffing recipe, visit us on Church Street in Brighton or shop online today.
Ingredients
- 40 gram Butter
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- ¼ cup Pine nuts
- 1 Leek, white part only (trimmed and thinly sliced)
- 2 clove Garlic (finely chopped)
- 1/3 cup White wine
- 1 ½ cup Fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
- 1/3 cup Fresh sage leaves (chopped)
- 1 Egg (lightly beaten)
- 2.5 kilogram Rolled Pork Loin Boneless (see tip in 'Notes' tab)
- 1 tablespoon Sea salt flakes
- 6 Baby red apples (scored around the centre)
- Fried sage leaves (to serve (optional))
Instructions
- To make the leek & pine nut stuffing, heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts, leek and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until leek is softened. Add wine and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until reduced. Stir in breadcrumbs and sage. Set aside to cool. Add egg and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set stuffing aside.
- Preheat oven to 240˚C/220˚C fan-forced. Remove the netting or string from the pork and unroll. Pat rind dry with paper towel. Use a sharp knife, score the rind at 2cm intervals.
- Place pork flesh-side-up and spoon the stuffing onto the pork flesh, pressing down firmly. Firmly re-roll the pork and secure with kitchen string at 3cm intervals.
- Rub remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into pork rind and then rub with salt. Place pork into a large roasting pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until cracking is golden and crisp.
- Reduce heat to 180˚C/160˚fan-forced and roast for a further 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes or until just cooked through when tested with a skewer.
- In the last 20 minutes of cooking, place apples on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with extra olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until softening. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
- Serve pork with roasted apples and warmed pan juices. Scatter with fried sage leaves if liked.
Notes
Tip
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.
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