Introduction: Balsamic Marinated Roast Pork

I made this mainly because I was pruning the rosemary and bay from the garden, but it just blew me away by how tasty it turned out. I'm sure that dried rosemary and bay will work too, but the fresh stuff just adds so much flavour (flavor).

I have attached a single-page recipe which you can print out.

Time:-
Marinade - five minutes to make and overnight to soak
Cook - two hours to roast and ten minutes to rest

Ingredients:-
2kg(4lb) pork leg roast (any other bit of the pig should work fine too)
2 sprigs of rosemary
10 fresh bay leaves
5 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of white flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Step 1: Making the Marinade

Strip the needles from the rosemary and put into a casserole.

Take half of the bay leaves, chop them up coarsely and add them.

Add the salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar

Peel and chop the garlic cloves and add them.

Give a quick stir with a fork to mix it all up.

Roll the joint around in the casserole, then cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight to marinate.

Step 2: Roast

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F).

Stick the remainder of the bayleaves to any exposed meat surfaces, cover the casserole and roast for an hour and a half.

Remove the casserole, and lift the joint out onto a plate.

Strain the liquid from the casserole into a bowl, discarding the sieved leaves and garlic pieces.

Replace the joint in the casserole and return to the oven uncovered for another thirty minutes to crisp the skin.

Step 3: Make the Gravy

Take the flour, olive oil and the liquid reserved from the previous step.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring vigorously to form a runny paste.

Slowly add in the liquid, stirring all the while.

Once there is a homogeneous mixture, turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently for twenty minutes.

Step 4: Serving

Remove the meat and rest for ten minutes before carving.

Serve with whatever, but I love mashed potatoes and roast veges. I roasted a kilo and a half (3lb) of carrots and should have done twice as much. They can be put into the oven at the half-way mark or later if you don't like them black and crispy.

Any questions, please ask in the comments :-)