Paprika roast rib of pork

Tom Kerridge’s

Any meat roasted on the bone is brilliant, both for flavour and moistness, but the bone also helps the meat to keep its shape. This great, easy roast is pork’s version of a fore rib of beef. Pork and paprika are such good mates – just ask any Hungarian – and this recipe really shows off their friendship. I love to serve this on a cold evening with some mashed potato made with a little smoked butter.

Pure pleasure!

S E RV E S 4

1 x 1.2kg pork rib, on the bone 4 garlic cloves, grated 3 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt For the crackling 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt For the pickled white cabbage Vegetable oil, for cooking 150g garlic sausage, diced 1 large onion, halved and very finely sliced ½ white cabbage, tough core removed, very finely sliced 100ml white wine 100ml white wine vinegar 20g caster sugar Cracked black pepper

Paprika roast rib of pork With a sharp knife, gently remove the skin from the pork rib – you’re going to cook this separately in order to get proper crackling. Then carefully cut a slit between the rib bones and the meat, following the contour of the bone. Be careful not to cut all the way through the meat – stop about 2cm from the bottom.

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In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, smoked paprika, sage, thyme and rosemary with the olive oil to form a rough paste. Rub most of the mixture into the gap between the bones and meat. Push the meat back on to the bones and tie in between each rib bone securely with kitchen string. Rub the remaining mixture all over the pork. Wrap in cling film and marinate in the fridge overnight. Chill the skin too.

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The next day, preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Place two ovenproof racks in two roasting tins.

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Unwrap the pork from the cling film and place it on one of the racks.

Season with salt. Place the pork skin on the other rack, skin-side up, and rub in the white wine vinegar then the flaky sea salt. Place both trays in the oven and cook for 35–40 minutes. Keep an eye on the crackling to make sure it doesn’t burn.

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Using an instant-read thermometer, probe the pork rib at its thickest point. When it reaches 60°C, remove the rib, lightly cover it in tin foil and leave it to rest and finish cooking in its residual heat for 25 minutes. Keep roasting the pork skin until it becomes perfect puffed-up crackling – it will need about 10–20 minutes more, but keep checking it to make sure it doesn’t burn. When ready, remove it from the oven and leave to cool.

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While the pork is resting, make the pickled cabbage. Warm a little oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic sausage and cook until it starts to brown and crisp up.

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Add the onion and sweat gently, stirring from time to time, until it begins to soften – about 10–15 minutes. Add the cabbage and give it all a good stir. Pour in the white wine and vinegar and sprinkle on the sugar. Cook on a medium heat, stirring from time to time, until most of the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

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Remove the string from the pork and cut it into chops.

Serve on warmed plates, with the crackling and cabbage.

Photographs overleaf

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