Danish Crispy Skin-On Pork Loin Roast (Flæskesteg)
Danish national dish flæskesteg, made with perfectly crispy skin.
Equipment
- Roasting pan with rack
Ingredients
- 4.4 lb pork loin 2 kg, skin on, boneless
- 3 tsp salt
- black pepper ground
- 10 bay leaves optional
Instructions
- One of the secrets to making truly delicious Danish Flæskesteg is the preparation. For this, pat the meat completely dry. Score the skin with a sharp knife into parallel strips about ⅓–⅜ inch (8–10 mm) apart, perpendicular to the length of the meat.Cut through the skin and the fat layer, but be careful not to cut into the meat.Preheat the convection oven to 255°F (125°C). If you don’t have convection, preheat it to 275–285°F (135–140°C).
- Season the meat. Rub it with about 1 teaspoon salt per 2.2 lb (1 kg), working it very deeply into the skin side, all along the cuts. Sprinkle the meat generously with ground pepper and salt on all sides. Place bay leaves into the cuts, and put a few underneath the meat when you place it in the roasting pan.
- Place the meat on a rack in the roasting pan with the skin facing up, and pour about 3 tablespoons (50 ml) water underneath it, so it does not touch the meat. Put it in the lower third of the oven and roast for 2 hours.If the skin on top of the meat is not level, place 1–2 halved potatoes underneath it. If it is level when you put it in, the skin will roast beautifully and crisp evenly.
- After 2 hours, move the roasting pan to the upper third of the oven, raise the temperature to 400°F (200°C) on regular top-and-bottom heat, and roast for another 40 minutes.Add more water to never let the juices dry under the meat.
- Finally, roast it at 480°F (250°C) or under the broiler for 5 minutes. Watch it very carefully here so the skin does not burn. Remove it from the roasting pan, and let it rest for 10–15 minutes. Do not cover it.
- Making the Sauce
- When the meat is done, place it on a platter or plate that will catch the juices that run out. First, pour the fat from the roasting pan into a separate bowl, then place the pan on the stove, and turn the heat to medium. Pour in a little hot water. As you stir, the stuck-on bits will loosen and dissolve. The roasting pan is very hot at this point, so work only with oven mitts!
- Put a little of the fat into a skillet. If you want a really delicious sauce, sauté half a finely chopped onion or shallot in it—but this step can be skipped. Add about 1 tablespoon flour (or even a gluten-free flour blend), and toast it for one minute. Pour in the sauce left in the roasting pan, along with the juices released from the meat. Stir until smooth, and cook to your desired thickness. At this point, you may need to season it further with pepper and/or salt. If it happens to be lumpy, or if you added onion, strain it through a sieve.
- Serve the sauce alongside the meat!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!