Why not walk on the wild side and serve your traditional pork roast with exotic persimmon sauce?
When it comes to a Christmas dinner planning I feel both giddy with excitement and torn into a million of different directions. Forget choosing what trimmings to cook, I can’t even zero in on my main hero!
Turkey, duck, goose, beef, pork…seriously at this point in time they are all still contenders for the main part, however one thing is sure; whatever type of meat I choose it will be most certainly roasted.
Roasting is my favourite method of cooking and pork roasts happen to be the easiest, most forgiving meat I’ve come across. I love what oven cooking at high temperatures can achieve.
Meat tender and juicy on the inside with crispy crackling on the outside.
How to make the best tasting pork roast
I don’t often splurge on such high quality meat, not because I don’t value it but mostly because I am always conscious of the costs, so I was beyond thrilled to roast that hog and go easy on add-ons for the pork flavour to truly shine.
All I did was rolled the pork shoulder in a herb, flower and seed mix my friend brought me from Scotland. I also took inspiration from a plum sauce, often served with pork roasts in England, and created my own seasonal persimmon sauce.
How do you make persimmon sauce?
Just make sure your persimmons are very ripe or the sauce will be ruined. Underripe persimmons taste chalky and have a bitter tinge to them but when you happen to be patient enough and cut into a perfectly right persimmon, there is no fruit comparable in fragrance and sweetness. No wonder in some countries it is known as the honey fruit.
When I finally pulled out my pork roast out of the oven I was not disappointed. It turned out so tender, juicy and flavourful!!
One of the tricks to avoid dry pork roasts is using an instant meat thermometer, so you don’t overcook it since oven temperatures and the size of roasts vary.
And while it’s great to rely on a particular recipe for cooking times you should also check the internal temperature, which should read around 145F/70C for pork. I am so glad it officially got lowered from 160F because it often resulted in dry pork roast and who wants that!!
I really hope you get to try this delicious recipe over the holidays, and while you are at it pair this pork roast with these delicious rosemary potatoes au gratin!!
Ingredients
For the pork roast
- 1.5 kg/3 lbs pork shoulder roast
- 2 tbsp herb mix of our choice
- 1 tbsp sea salt
For the warm persimmon sauce
- 3 very ripe persimmons
- 50 g/1/4 cup sugar
- 125 ml/ 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the highest temperature. Take your pork out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Remove all packaging and score the skin with a sharp knife.
- Rub your favourite herb and sea salt mix all over, making sure it goes inside the slits in the skin, put in a roasting tray and inside the oven.
- Immediately turn the temperature down to 450F/220C. Roast for 1.5 hours until the internal temperature of the pork reads 145F/65C.
- While the pork is in the oven prepare the sauce by combining water, sugar and peeled and chopped persimmons in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and let it simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until it thickens. Add chilli flakes for some heat if desired.
- When the pork roast is done, cut the crackling off and slice it separately with a very sharp knife.
- Serve sliced pork with warm persimmon sauce.
Edita says
Can you share herb mix you used on pork, please
vikalinka says
Hi Edita, I used a flower, herb and seed mix that was gifted to me. It’s not from a supermarket but here is what’s in the mix: parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, sage, dill, flower petals, chives, sea salt and seeds-poppy, sesame and celery. I hope this helps!
Portia Mattinson says
looks delicious, will be trying this! x
carole Hiscock says
Something new and different to try lovely x
Chris Minko says
Looks beautiful
Tammy Neal says
would love one of these for my mum xx
rlavender says
That pork looks soooo nice! Will be trying the recipe!
Anita hargreaves says
Looks delicious
Kelly Hirst says
This looks brilliant!
sam mason says
This pork looks amazing
Catherine Gregory says
Oh my mouth is watering!!! I love roast pork ????
Laura Tonks says
WOW! So delicious xx
SUNITA VERMA says
I love cooking and spend most of my time in the kitchen so this has been really useful for me..many thanks 🙂
Wendy Tolhurst says
The photos make this look absolutely gorgeous. I like persimmons but am not a great lover of pork. However my brother loves pork, so maybe I will give it a try next time he is over.
claire davey says
just what i need. xx loved the recipe too. xx
Beverley Cousins says
Did someone mention Roast Pork! lol…i totally love pork..and what you have created it is totally yummy! 🙂
sally brown says
Going to try this on the weekend
Katie Brealey says
Great inspiration thank you!
George says
The crackling on that pork looks amazing. Might have to give this a try on the weekend
Amy Jo McLellan says
That pork looks delicious!!!
Jacqueline Roberts says
Oh that’s really interesting, after having it drille din my head that pork sreved pink is wrong, glad to find they were wrong.
Herbert Appleby says
I love a good pork roast with all the crispy skin and what a cracking one you have here!!!
Rebecca Mercer says
That pork looks amazing!
Rennene Hartland says
Going to have to give this recipe a try looks delish
Chloe bailey says
Oh my goodness the recipe looks delicious!!! And I have wanted to try one of these for a while so fingers crossed!!! X x
COLETTE SMITH says
another mouthwatering pork recipe will attempt this at the weekend
IRENE MURDOCH says
Looks really good – will have to try it
fiona butler says
It looks absolutely yummy – I might even try to cook it myself!
Christine Hobbs says
Love Pork and have never heard of Persimmon sauce but it sounds delicious so have copied the recipe…Cheers x
Karen Howden says
Far better than getting it from the supermarket
Erica Price says
We’ve just bought half a pig so we are on the look out for new ideas with pork.
Victoria Dixon says
Roast pork is my favourite meat and this recipe looks amazing! I will definitely be trying it out this weekend for the family to enjoy!
cheryl hadfield says
going to try this recipe next date night
Tess D says
love combining fruit and meat never tried persimmon so will look out for this now
Robert Slipper says
I fancy that so much I feel like a bit of a pig!
Adam Smith says
Would love to try it
Emilia nastaly-howard says
That looks fantastic xx
Kim Lam says
That pork looks extremely yummy. I’ll have to try that recipe
Rebecca Phillips says
oh wow, this looks delicious, ive bookmarked to try it myself 🙂
Samantha Jane says
Oh wow this looks incredibly delicious, ive never tried permissions sauce, but I think I may have too! This dish looks fantastic, I can’t wait to try it out for the family i can only hope it turns out as delicious looking as yours ????
Victoria Thurgood says
looks so nice
ellie spider says
I’m always a tad nervous with cooking pork that I will undercook it and give us all food poisoning so we rarely have it at home now – instead we tend to eat it when we are out.
vikalinka says
Food thermometer is great for that, it will put your mind at ease!
Hayley says
Great prize, the pork looks delicious!! 🙂
Eileen Tingle says
A great recipe and a fab prize
Kerry Kilmister says
I’ve just started experimenting with Persimmon and I love how versatile it is!
Alison Clark says
A new recipe to try thank you looks amazing – my parents live quite close to Jimmys farm so I go quite often the rosemary bacon is out of this world.
Chris Fletcher says
That has to be one of the most delicious looking roasts of pork I have ever laid my eyes on! I will be testing out this recipe for sure!
Anthea Holloway says
This is so helpful because I am hopeless at crackling and now I shall try again!
Deborah Nicholas says
That looks delicious – we went off pork for a while as it was always fatty and just didnt even look that nice. This has made me want to try it again from a different supplier though than our usual and may even make me spend a little more on quality instead of quantity!
Angie Poulding says
We eat a lot of pork, recipe looks delicious
Lisa Houston says
Looks amazing wish someone would make it for me
Lynsie Lynn says
I’m going to attempt to make this for the family… It looks lush, and the children and hubby love the sound of it 🙂
Jenny Rogers says
Roast pork is my favourite, with crackling!
Emma Davies says
This looks so delicious. Can I come for tea?
carolyn joyce says
just fancy a roast now!
adrian price says
This Pork looks amazing
jessica cook says
My hubby’s eyes lit up when he saw the picture of the pork yummy
Antonio S says
Looks delicous =)
jo liddement says
Love the sound of the persimmons sauce
Emma says
Yum Yum – I am trying this 🙂
Jeanette Davenport says
I’m going to try this yummy
SUSAN L HALL says
That looks amazing we have not had roast pork for ages i can never seem to get the cracking right but will keep trying
liz ferguson says
perfect prize xx
wendy malone says
what a lovely piece of meat.would like to try.
Lisa Wilkinson says
This recipe sounds absolutely gorgeous. My mouth is watering!
Barbara Handley says
Why does other people’s cooking look much more delicious than mine? Lovely!
Mark Scott says
Would love to make this recipe
Janine C says
My mouth is watering just seeing the photo of that pork joint. Gorgeous!!
Donna W says
Looks delicious!
Emily Knight says
Never even thought of pairing persimmons with roast pork – but this sounds great! Will have to give it a go…
Jess Mandeville says
This recipe sounds gorgeous! I’m not confident at cooking pork but I might try this with the help of my sister (or she can cook it and I’ll watch!) 🙂
Lynn Heath says
Roast Pork is a Favourite in our house but we’ve never tried the Persimmons sauce, I think we will be soon though!
cheryl pearson says
bookmarked this to try it in the new year
Emma Walton says
That joint of pork looks so good it made my mouth water! I have saved this recipe and will definitely be trying it out 🙂
Stephanie Whitehouse says
This looks tasty. I’ve got into a bit of a rut cooking pulled pork, so it would make a change
Emma Jones says
I’ve never tried cooking with persimmon beford. I’m really looking forward to trying this.
Clair Dukes says
I will certainly be trying this recipe out.
Gwen Biviano says
love this recipe
Paula Nixon says
I’d never think to try a persimmon sauce – great idea – and that piece of meat looks amazing.
Julie says
Would love to have a bash at this! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Gwyn Sharps says
Made my mouth water reading this – I’d really like to try this recipe
rebecca nisbet says
my mouth is watering!
Beky Austerberry says
Such a lovely looking recipe
Suzanne Sendell says
Wish I found this page before I cooked my Christmas dinner,such lovely Ideas
Hannah Hossack-Lodge (Domestic Gothess) says
I haven’t eaten a persimmon in years! I’ll have to remedy that…. The shot of the herb mix on top of the pork is beautiful, there are some really lovely colours in there.
Heather Brannan says
I’m gonna try making this over the festive period and I hope mine looks half as good as this picture. Awesome recipe!
Angela McDonald says
This looks fantastic! Perfect for a morning coffee and when any guests pop round!
PAULINE HILL says
LOOKS REALLY NICE
MANDY DOHERTY says
Will be trying this out!
Helen Metcalfe says
We all love roast pork here. The herb, flower and seed mix looks so good, do you remember what it was called? Oh and like the look of the cold brew coffee maker too!
vikalinka says
Hi Helen, it is called Uncle Roy’s Moffat Meadows Flower, Herb and Seed Seasoning Salt. 🙂
Helen Metcalfe says
Hi, thanks for letting me know what the mix is, sorry I didnt see your reply until today! I am also in the process of changing over my email address so not sure which one I originally replied with! (comphem64@gmail.com – old one) Thanks again!
amy fidler says
This would be a talking point at any dinner party great dish xx
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Absolutely beautiful, Julia. I love roast pork and that persimmon sauce sounds delicious!!
Lucy Parissi says
I love roasting pork like this – it is so simple and requires almost no prep. Never tried persimmons somehow but I it is on my grocery list. Fabulous roast – and as you know I am a massive fan of the cold brew coffee maker : )
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect says
This looks delicious, I love roast pork, I think we’re having rib of beef on the big day. I can already taste it!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
What a thing of beauty this dish is, even uncooked you’ve made it look glamorous! I love persimmons and I think they would pair really well with the roast — lovely!
Beryl drake says
What fabulous receipts can’t wait to try them – delicious yummy