Recipe: Pork Roast

Name: Pork Roast
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 kg (3.25 lb) of pork from the loin, rib or shoulder; 300 g (10.5 oz) of small Paris mushrooms; 200 g (7 oz) of shelled Paimpol beans; 100 g (3.5 oz) of bacon (blanched and cooled); 2 cloves of garlic, germ removed; and 4 others with skin (unpeeled); 8 small onions; 2 tomatoes; thyme, bay leaf and sage; 1 dl (10 cl (0.4 cup)) of dry white wine; salt and ground pepper

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (14 reviews) · 🍳 6 made it

Prep 30 min

Cook 120 min

Total 2h30

Servings 6 serv.

French pork production comes half from Brittany and the other half from all other French provinces Roast the pork for 1 hour 15 minutes at 200°C with garlic, thyme and bay leaf marinade. Paimpol beans, mushrooms sautéed with bacon and unpeeled onions complete the dish. The secret: season the evening before so the aromas penetrate the meat deeply.

Ingredients for 6 servings

Adjust for

servings

1.5 kg (3.25 lb) of pork from the loin, rib or shoulder
300 g (10.5 oz) of small Paris mushrooms
200 g (7 oz) of shelled Paimpol beans
100 g (3.5 oz) of bacon (blanched and cooled)
2 cloves of garlic, germ removed
and 4 others with skin (unpeeled)
8 small onions
2 tomatoes
thyme, bay leaf and sage
1 dl (10 cl (0.4 cup)) of dry white wine
salt and ground pepper

Step-by-step directions

Important: season your pork roast the evening before, peel 2 cloves of garlic, remove the germ and cut small slivers that you will insert into small cuts made with a knife (it's not essential, but it's so much better). In a dish, put a drop of oil and roll your roast in it, salt, pepper and dust with a little thyme flowers, add the bay leaf, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge overnight so it absorbs all these aromas.

1 In a cast iron pot (like a Le Creuset) melt 30g (1.1 oz) of butter and a touch of oil. When it has browned, put the roast in, browning it on all sides.

2 Preheat the oven to 200° (gas mark 7).

3 In the pot, add the small onions, the 4 remaining unpeeled garlic cloves, the tomatoes cut roughly into large dice, 2 sage leaves, salt, pepper and let sweat covered gently for 7 to 8 minutes

4 Moisten then with your white wine and continue cooking for another 2 minutes then add 1 dl of water, the beans and adjust the seasoning.

Chef's tip

Pork roast is a classic Sunday dish when you have time and the weather turns cool. It's really an autumn and winter dish, when summer vegetables have disappeared and you want something hearty on the plate. Paimpol beans are Breton beans grown specifically in Paimpol on the Côtes-d'Armor coast, they have their own designation. They're softer, less floury than other varieties, really quality. For occasions, it's a family meal kind of thing, lazy Sunday when you're entertaining casually. No need to fuss, it's just good and comes straight from the oven. Wine-wise, go for a light red, a Beaujolais village or simple Côtes du Rhône. Avoid powerful wines, they won't stand up to the bacon and the jus. A dry white works well too, a Sancerre or Chablis with structure. For accompaniments, the cooking liquid becomes your sauce, just skim off a little fat and you're done. The unpeeled garlic cloves, you press them with a fork to extract the pulp and incorporate it into the jus. The button mushrooms sautéed with bacon only take two minutes, no more. Let the meat rest 10 minutes before serving, that's key, it becomes tender and juicy.

Frequently asked questions

Why season the roast the night before and how to properly insert the garlic?

The meat absorbs the flavors over 12 hours in the fridge. For the garlic, peel two cloves, cut them into thin points and make small slits in the meat with a knife. Push the points inside. It penetrates better than if the garlic stays on the surface.

Can you replace Paimpol beans with red or white beans?

Yes, but it won't be the same. Red beans are more floury, white ones more neutral. Paimpol beans have a light flavor and perfect texture. If you can't find them, prefer Vendée white beans or coco beans, less disappointment.

How long does cooked roast keep in the fridge and can you freeze it?

Three days well covered in the fridge. For freezing, let it cool, wrap the whole thing (meat plus jus) well and freeze for max 2 months. Thaw 24 hours in the fridge before reheating gently.