Flæskesteg
Denmark's Christmas Eve centerpiece, a roast pork with crackling that's been the defining dish of Danish Juleaften since the 19th century. The skin must be scored in straight parallel lines about 5mm apart, cutting through the skin and fat but never into the meat — cutting too deep lets juices escape into the cuts and turns the crackling soft instead of crisp. A fully dry skin surface before roasting, patted or air-dried, is the other real technique marker frequently skipped.
Meat
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork loin or belly roast, skin on
- 3 tbsp coarse salt
- Bay leaves and whole cloves
- Black pepper
- Potatoes, to serve
- Red cabbage (rødkål), to serve
Steps
- Score the skin in straight parallel lines about 1cm apart, through the skin and fat but not into the meat.
- Pat the skin completely dry.
- Rub coarse salt deep into the grooves, and insert bay leaves and cloves into some of the slits.
- Roast at moderate heat until nearly done, then blast at high heat at the end to puff and crisp the crackling.
- Rest, then carve along the scored lines. Serve with potatoes, red cabbage, and gravy.