Pork Tenderloin Roll

There are days when I don't feel like making complicated recipes, but I still want to serve something hearty and delicious. Slow-roasted pork belly with a crispy crackling on top is the kind of dish that doesn’t require much attention during preparation, yet the result is truly worth it. I've made it many times, especially when I needed a filling roast for lunch, and every time the meat turned out tender, with crackling that you can either peel off or slice with a knife if you want to keep it on the meat.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours and 45 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8, depending on how much each person takes
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: pork roast for lunch, suitable for family meals

Ingredients

1 piece of pork belly with skin (about 1.5 kg)
1 cup of sweet white wine
1 cup of water
Himalayan pink salt (or regular salt)
Sichuan pepper seasoning for roasting (store-bought mix from Lidl)
pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the piece of pork belly well and scrape the skin with a knife to remove any impurities. Pat everything dry with paper towels to ensure the meat is dry.

2. Season the meat on all sides with salt and pepper. I used Himalayan pink salt, but regular salt works too. Use the Sichuan pepper mix for roasting, which you can find at Lidl or other stores – season evenly.

3. Roll the piece of meat as tightly as you can, like a roulade, and tie it with kitchen twine in several places to maintain its shape while roasting.

4. Place the roulade in a suitably sized ovenproof dish. Pour the cup of water and the cup of sweet white wine into the dish.

5. Preheat the oven to 150-160°C (the oven should be preheated before putting the roast in). Loosely cover the dish with foil or a lid if you have one, but it's not mandatory.

6. Roast the pork for 2 and a half hours at a low temperature. It's important not to exceed 160°C, otherwise the meat may dry out, and the crackling will become too tough.

7. After the cooking time, remove the meat from the dish onto a wooden cutting board. Carefully cut and remove the twine.

8. For slicing: the crackling will be crispy and hard, so you'll need a sharp knife if you want to cut slices with the crackling on. If you prefer not to complicate things, you can simply peel off the crust; it comes off easily.

9. Don’t throw away the juices left in the dish! They taste great and can be served as a sauce alongside the roast. You can also spoon some directly over the meat on the plate.

10. Serve the roast alongside a side dish (mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, beans) and pickles, according to your preference.

Why I make this recipe often

I love that it doesn’t require much attention, yet in the end, you have a hearty roast that slices beautifully. The meat remains juicy, and the sauce formed in the dish really adds extra flavor. It’s perfect for weekend lunches, especially when cooking for a crowd. It’s the kind of recipe that you can easily adapt after making it once.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- The oven temperature should be between 150 and 160°C, no higher, to avoid drying out the meat and toughening the crackling.
- Use a thick, very sharp knife to cut through the crispy crackling along with the meat. If it feels too tough, just remove the crust before slicing; it comes off quickly.
- Don’t discard the juices from the dish; they are ideal for serving as a sauce. You can strain them if you want, but it’s not necessary.

Substitutions

- The pink salt can be replaced with regular salt or any other type of cooking salt.
- If you can’t find the Sichuan pepper seasoning, you can use a mix of regular pepper and any other preferred spices for pork, but the result will be slightly different.
- Sweet white wine adds a subtle flavor, but you can also use semi-dry or even dry wine if that’s what you have at home. The sauce will be a bit more intense in flavor.

Variations

- If you don’t want to roll the meat, you can leave it whole and roast it as is, but the roulade holds its shape better and looks more appealing when sliced.
- You can also add a few cloves of garlic or some thyme to the dish for extra flavor, although the basic recipe works well with just the roasting spices.

Serving Ideas

- The roast is hearty and pairs very well with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or polenta.
- A bowl of pickles (like bell peppers, cucumbers, or sauerkraut) is almost a must alongside.
- If you have the sauce saved from the dish, spoon some over the meat on the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I slice the pork belly with the crackling without it crumbling?
The crackling is hard and crispy after cooking, so you need to use a thick, very sharp knife. Make firm movements, but if it seems too tough, remove the crust first and slice the meat separately.

2. Can the roast be made without wine?
Yes, if you don’t want to use wine, you can omit it and just use water. The final taste will be slightly different without the sweet notes from the white wine.

3. What should I do with the juices left in the dish?
The juices should not be thrown away – they are served as a sauce alongside the roast, with a rich flavor from the meat and spices. They can be spooned directly over the slices or served separately.

4. What type of meat can be used instead of pork belly?
The recipe is designed for pork belly with skin because the texture and fat help with tenderness. You can also try using shoulder or neck, but it won’t have the same crispy crackling on top.

5. Do I need to marinate the meat beforehand?
No, there is no need for marinating in advance for this recipe. Just season it directly before putting it in the oven.

Nutritional Values

Approximate estimate per serving (out of 8):

Calories: 450-500 kcal
Protein: 22-25 g
Fat: 35-38 g
Carbohydrates: 2-4 g (the wine partially evaporates, but some sugars remain)
These values are estimates and depend greatly on the fat content of the pork belly and the portion size. The sauce can add some extra calories, depending on how much you use.

Storage and Reheating

The roast can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-3 days. Upon reheating, the crackling won’t be as crispy as when fresh, but the meat will remain good and juicy. The simplest way is to slice and reheat in the oven with a bit of the reserved sauce at a low temperature. If you have larger pieces of meat left, you can chop them or use them in cold sandwiches. The recipe is not suitable for freezing, as the texture of the crackling deteriorates upon thawing.

The piece of meat is washed, the skin is cleaned with a knife blade, and it is dried with absorbent paper. It is seasoned on all sides with salt and pepper. The piece of meat is rolled and tied with kitchen twine. It is placed in a heat-resistant dish, water and wine are added. It is put in the preheated oven at 150-160 degrees for 2 hours and 30 minutes. The meat is removed onto a wooden board, the twine is removed, and it is sliced (WARNING!! the skin is tough and you will need a very sharp knife if you wish to slice it with the skin). It is served with a side dish and your favorite pickles. Enjoy your meal!!!

The temperature of the fire should not exceed 160 degrees, the meat should be cooked on low heat for a longer period. If you have difficulties slicing the meat with the skin, remove the skin, it is like a crust, then slice it. The juice left should not be thrown away, it has a special flavor and is used instead of sauce alongside the roast.

 Ingredients: 1 piece of pork belly weighing approximately 1.5kg 1 cup of sweet white wine 1 cup of water Himalayan pink salt Sichuan pepper seasoning for roasting (from Lidl)

 Tags:  pork breast roll