Roast Pork - Porco Assado

I thought I'd post something a bit different, instead of my usual seafood dishes. The Portuguese love roasts believe it or not. Typically  meat dishes are from the North of Portugal. The north is beautiful country, that has lush green hills & so much history. I hadn't ever been to the north until I married my husband whose family is from this region.

 

The famous Bom Jesus. I've been here several times, the baroque stairs are a sight to be seen.

An old building. I just had to take this photo, as is was just around the corner where my father in law grew up. This was a typical house 50-100 years ago.

Northern country side, taken from the car window


Recipe

• 2kg rolled pork shoulder
• 200ml olive oil
• 1 tab paprika
• 1 tab mixed dried herbs
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tab salt
• 8 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
• 1/4 piece (or 3 cups) pumpkin, deseed & cut into chunky pieces
• 2 medium brown onions, cut into thick rounds
• 1/2 cup white wine
  

1.  In a bowl add all the dry ingredients, then add the olive oil. Rub some of the mixture onto the meat & rub all over. Let stand while you cut the vegetables.

2. Peel the potatoes & cut into chunks, then leave aside. De seed the pumpkin & cut into chunks, leave the skin on if you like, add it to the potatoes. Peel the onions & cut them into round chunks, set aside.

3. Add the potatoes & pumpkin to the rest of the marinade mixture & toss the vegetables.


4. In a roasting tray add the pork shoulder then add the vegetables scattering them around the pork. Place into a medium heat oven 170- 180 degrees for 40 minutes.

5. After this time add the onions, placing them around the tray. Turn  the vegetables over, add the white wine & cook a further 30 min.

6. Remove the pork from the tray & let it stand for a few minutes. Remove the string from the meat. Then remove the skin & cut the crackle.

7. Cut the pork into slices. Place the vegetables onto a platter, add the pork slices.
Serve with the pan juices.

Tips

• Check after 50 minutes to see if the pork is cooked, if it is remove it & place covered in a warm place.
• The reason I add the onions at a later time instead of straight away is that it takes less time to cook.
• If the meat is cooked & the vegetables aren't, remove the pork & keep cooking the vegetables.