The Fusion Of Flavors Jamie Oliver Adds To His Pork Roast

Jamie Oliver is all about flavor. Whether he's adding egg whites to liven up a classic tiramisu or using every last drop of beef drippings to make a gorgeous gravy, there's no Jamie Oliver recipe we're aware of that's devoid of flavor. Even when he takes a crack at a classic U.K. roast pork, he's only going to stick to his native traditions to a certain extent. With his recipe, Oliver brings together a wonderful fusion of flavors that some of us may not have even thought would pair.

Here, as with all of his dishes, Oliver tries to choose quality, humanely-raised meat, using what's known as higher-welfare pork — which means that the pigs were free-range or otherwise raised in healthy and comfortable conditions. The cut is an 8-rib loin that has been stripped of the chine bones and skin (which will later be used for cracklings). The fat on the loin is then scored in a diamond pattern, and the entire cut is seasoned with a salt rub consisting of fennel seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaves, lemon, rosemary, and thyme. 

Prepped alongside the pork are some parboiled potatoes and chopped parsnips collected in a roasting tray. Once the oven reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the veg will go in to roast on the bottom rack, and the pork will sit directly on the grates above the pan so the potatoes and parsnips will catch all of the dripping juices. But the flavor is only just beginning. 

Oliver calls this a "transatlantic fusion." Utilizing some traditional flavors from the American South, Oliver builds flavor to the recipe by pairing the pork with a chutney-like fruit sauce. He wraps an onion, peach, pear, and apple together with a nice splash of bourbon, first in a sheet of parchment paper, then again in aluminum foil to create a bag that will collect all of the fruit juices. These are roasted alongside the pork and root vegetables. Once finished, the onion skin, fruit pits, and cores are removed, the juices are strained into a bowl, and the fruit/onion combo is chopped roughly before being added back to the bowl. 

While the pork, fruit sauce, and root vegetables are resting, Oliver roasts a chopped pumpkin and the extra pork skin in the same manner as the loin and root vegetables, (again) putting the skin directly on the oven grates so the juices drip onto the pumpkins. While pumpkin roasts and the cracklins form, the gravy for the recipe is a simple combination of minced pork shoulder, chicken stock, flour, mustard, and another dram of bourbon for extra flair. 

The whole meal comes together in an assortment of flavorful root vegetables, a roasted fruit chutney, and an excellent "dirty gravy," as Oliver calls it. Overall, it's yet another example of Oliver's dedication to maximizing flavor in every meal.