Herby Stuffed Roast Pork {With Crackling}

This herby stuffed roast pork looks impressive and tastes delicious but it's actually quite simple to prepare. Using good quality sausages flavoured with lemon and herbs makes a really quick and easy stuffing.

To tie up the pork joint, pre-cut lengths of string around 40cm long and lay the lengths of string on a board 3-4cm apart. Place the stuffed joint on top of the string and tie each length up tightly working from the two ends towards the centre. Trim the extra lengths of string before roasting. 

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Herby Stuffed Roast Pork {With Crackling}

• Prep time:  25 mins
• Cooking time:  2 ½ - 3 hours
• Serves:  8-10

Ingredients:

• 2.5kg pork loin joint
• 4 chunky pork and leek sausages, cut open and sausage meat squeezed out
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
• 30g dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp of olive oil (plus extra for greasing)
• Sea salt
• String to tie up the joint

1. Pre-heat the oven to 230 C / gas mark 8. Use a little olive oil to lightly grease the bottom of a large, deep ovenproof dish.
2. To make the stuffing, mix the sausage meat, herbs, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice until well combined. Add the breadcrumbs and mix again very well.
3. Unwrap the pork joint, remove any string it came with and place on a board skin size up. If it has not already been scored to make cracking then score the skin, down to the meat (but not into the meat) using a very sharp knife. Make parallel lines close together.
4. Lay the pork joint skin side down on the board. Cut a deep channel into the centre of the pork joint about ¾ of the way though towards the skin at an angle. 
5. Fill the channel with the stuffing, close up the joint and use string to tie up the joint so the stuffing does not fall out (see notes).
6. Turn the pork joint over so it's skin side up. Dry the skin well with kitchen paper and rub with olive oil before rubbing in lots of sea salt.
7. Place the pork joint, skin side up, in the dish and roast in the hot oven for 20 – 30 minutes until the skin has browned. 
8. Take out the pork and turn the oven down to Turn the oven down to 160 C / gas mark 3. Place the lid tightly on the dish, or use two layers of tin foil, not touching the pork, to cover it. Return to the oven and roast for a further 2 – 2 ½ hours until the pork is cooked through and the juices run clear.
9. Cover with a layer of baking paper and a damp warm tea-towel and allow to rest for 20 - 30 minutes before slicing and serving.