Italian - Pork - Spanish. The past week has had several pork dishes demonstrated on various cooking shows. I've seen porchetta made by Anne Burrell on her cooking show. Pernil has been shown on a few different shows. I started to think about the various pork roast variations by culture.
Italy
Porchetta is a pork roast predominantly flavored by garlic and herbs. It's roasted with skin on a spit or in the oven at high heat. It comes out succulent with a very crispy skin that is prized.
Caribbean Islands (Spanish speaking)
Pernil is a pork roast flavored with garlic and adobo seasoning. It's typically a roasted suckling pig done on the spit. It, too, comes out succulent with a crispy and prized skin.
Cuba
Lechon asado is a pork roast with a mojo marinade. The variation I found in Lynne Rossetto Kasper's site requires the same pork roast with skin. However, this version may not result in a crispy, skin. In the mojo; garlic, oregano, sour orange.
German (Bavarian)
Roast pork with skin on and a garlic, onion, carrot variation.
For cultures that permit the use of pork, all seem to have a similar preparation for roast pork. Garlic is a common theme. Many discussions I've read talk about that prized pork skin. I have to admit, I've never had crispy pork skin…but I'm definitely curious now. I'll have to find a butcher that leaves the skin on in our area. Working for a grocery store chain, I can tell you that none of our stores have pork with skin on. For mass markets, it seems as though shrink-wrapped sub-primals are the norm. Our meat cutters slice open a plastic pork loin and slice chops and roasts from it. A teeny layer of fat is left. This mass production is quite saddening. Though I love my job…and the company I work for…I may have to venture away to get the meat I demand!!!
What other skin-on pork roast variations are you aware of? What do you recommend? Would love to hear your experiences!
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