Mark Roper
“This is all about the quality of your pork. Seek out heritage-breed black Berkshire pigs that have been raised humanely and it will make all the difference,” says Dave Verheul. Begin this recipe a day ahead to marinate the pork.
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Dry-roast fennel seeds in a frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant (1-2 minutes), then grind with a mortar and pestle. Add garlic and bay leaf, pound until broken down, then stir in oil.
2.Thinly score pork skin with a sharp knife, place each rack in a large zip-lock bag (or airtight containers). Divide marinade between bags and rub to coat everything. Seal and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
3.Remove pork from marinade, wipe off excess, and bring to room temperature (1 hour).
4.Preheat oven to 180°C. Season pork well all over with sea salt and roast skin-side down in a large roasting pan until internal temperature reaches 50°C (1¼-1½ hours). Remove from oven, turn skin-side up and rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.
5.Turn oven to fan-forced grill on medium-high heat (or heat an oven grill to high). Roast pork skin-side up on middle shelf until skin is crackled (1-2 minutes). Rest in a warm place (5-10 minutes), then slice and serve.
