There’s a reason a golden roast leg of pork never goes out of style. Crisp crackling, juicy meat and that irresistible, slow-roasted aroma make it the ultimate crowd-pleaser. This no-fuss classic proves that when you get the basics right, you don’t need anything fancy to impress. Serve it up with buttery mash, a spoonful of apple sauce and watch it disappear.

Ingredients

  • 2kg leg of pork
  • generous amount of salt
  • olive oil for rubbing
  • Suggested sides
  • Wholegrain mustard mash
  • Apple sauce or quince jelly
  • Roast potatoes, garden peas and gravy

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
  2. Pat the pork dry with kitchen paper.
  3. Score the skin at 2cm intervals using a very sharp knife.
  4. Rub with olive oil and salt.
  5. In a roasting dish, place open on a wire rack – or place pork on a bed of sliced parsnips or potatoes.
  6. Roast thew leg for the required time: for every 500g, roast for 30 minutes + 15 minutes.
  7. The skin should be golden and crispy once the roast is ready.
  8. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  9. Carve against the grain, and serve with any of the suggestions above or a side dish of your choice.