Pork With Juniper Berries Recipes

ROAST PORK WITH CRUSHED GRAPES, MARSALA & JUNIPER

Steps:

• Unroll the pork and lay it on a board, flesh-side up. Make incisions all over the meat with a sharp knife, then push the slivers of garlic into the incisions. Crush the salt, peppercorns, rosemary and juniper berries roughly using a pestle and mortar, then stir in the olive oil. Rub the seasoning mix into the pork, again on the flesh-side, pushing bits inside the incisions. Put in a dish, cover and chill overnight.
• The next day, remove the pork from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the loin firmly, keeping as much of the seasoning inside as you can, then tie it at intervals with kitchen string. Put it skin-side up in a heavy roasting tin and season all over. Roast for 25 mins, then reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Pull half the grapes from their stems, cut the rest of the bunch into sprigs, and add them all to the roasting tin with 250ml of the marsala. Continue roasting for 1 hr. Test the meat: the juices should run clear when the flesh is pierced to the centre with a metal skewer (or see tip, below). Remove the pork from the tin, along with the grapes that are on sprigs, and put them on a warmed serving platter. Cover and leave to rest for 15 mins.
• Set the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the remaining marsala and crush the loose grapes into the juices. Boil until you have a slightly syrupy mixture. Serve the pork with the marsala sauce and the sprigs of roasted grapes.

BRAISED PORK WITH BEER & JUNIPER BERRIES

Steps:

• Brown the roast on all sides in a dutch oven in the heated olive oil, as you turn the roast season with salt& pepper.
• Drain off any fat.
• Sprinkle the veggies with the flour. (what about the onions?).
• Add the veggies to the pot and the bay leaf.
• Add the beer.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add cloves, thyme& juniper berries.
• Cook covered for apprx 1 1/4 hours or until the meat is tender and apprx 160F in the center of the roast.
• Remove the roast from the pot.
• Skim off any fat.
• Puree the sauce (if the sauce is soupy reduce it by cooking longer until there is apprx 1 cup before you puree it).
• Slice the roast& serve with the onion sauce.

PORK WITH JUNIPER BERRIES

Steps:

• Make the potatoes: Heat oil in 12" skillet over med-hi heat. Cook potatoes until golden, 10-12 minutes. Stir in green beans, sage, garlic, s&p. Reduce heat to medium; cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; keep warm. Make pork: Wipe skillet clean and melt lard over med-hi heat. Cook guanciale until crisp. Transfer guanciale to plate. Season pork with s&p; cook, turning as needed, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Add juniper, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, garlic,and fennel, if using.Cook 1-2 minutes. Add wine, cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until evaporated, 12-15 minutes. Add stock; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, slightly covered, until instant thermo reads 145. Let pork rest 5 minutes, then slice 1/2" in. thick. Simmer sauce until thickened, 10-12 minutes. Discard herbs and stir in reserved guanciale, salt and pepper; spoon over pork. Serve with potatoes and green beans.

PAN-ROASTED JUNIPER AND THYME PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Peel garlic cloves. Leave 2 cloves whole and set aside for basting. Halve the remaining 2 cloves crosswise.
• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add halved garlic cloves, salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, and 1 sprig of thyme. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Transfer to a large bowl and add ice. Stir until brine is cool. Add pork chops, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.
• Remove chops from the brine and pat dry. Discard brine.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and cook without turning until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until beginning to brown on the other sides, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, turning every 2 minutes, until both sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 more minutes.
• Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast, turning chops every 2 minutes, for 14 minutes.
• Remove skillet from the oven and drain fat. Place on the stovetop over medium heat. Add butter, reserved 2 garlic cloves, and remaining sprig of thyme; cook until butter is foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Tip the skillet slightly and use a large spoon to baste the chops until butter is brown and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer chops to the prepared rack and let rest, turning often to ensure juices are evenly distributed, about 15 minutes. Finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt.