Pork loin roulade

The most important thing in making pork belly roll is to choose the right meat. It should be the belly part of the pork, the thinnest edge. This meat is also called pashina. You will need a piece weighing from 800 g to 1.5 kg – the size and thickness of the finished roll will depend on this. The pashina must have streaks of fat, so that the finished roll is juicy and tender. The belly part should not be too thick, otherwise there will be difficulties in rolling. But if you have such a piece, you can make a longitudinal incision almost through the entire thickness (without cutting the meat to the end) and unfold it like a book. The surface of the pashina should be smooth, if there are thickening, it is preferable to beat them with a kitchen hammer. Wash and dry the meat before cooking with paper towels. Spread the prepared sheet on a flat surface (e.g., on a kitchen table).

The necessary seasonings are: salt, black pepper, preferably ground in a mortar, garlic and mustard.

Evenly salt (1.5-2 tsp) and pepper the meat sheet with freshly ground pepper. Squeeze the garlic cloves through a press and spread the garlic mixture over the spices with your hands.

Rub the mustard (2-3 tbsp.) thoroughly with your hands, covering the entire surface.

To tie the roulade, you will need a thick silk thread or twine.

Tightly roll up the roulade and tie it with the thread both across and lengthwise. It is important to tie it frequently to maintain its shape and prevent it from falling apart when sliced.

After that, wrap the roulade in two layers of foil, place it in a bag, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and bake the roulade in the foil for 1.5 hours, then reduce the temperature to 160 degrees Celsius and bake for another 1 hour. Then turn off the oven and let the pork roulade cool down.

Place the roll in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, and then carefully remove the strings and return it to the refrigerator for another 5-6 hours.

Only after that, you can slice the roll, it is better to do it with a sharp knife with a wide blade.

This roll freezes and defrosts perfectly without losing its flavor.

Before freezing, tightly wrap the pork belly roll in foil, then place it in a bag and put it in the freezer for storage. Transfer to the refrigerator shelf a day before serving and when the roll is completely thawed, slice it into individual pieces.

To avoid being overwhelmed with cooking during the New Year holidays, you can start preparing the pork belly roll on December 28-29 - marinate it, cook it in the oven on December 30 and let it chill in the refrigerator, then slice and serve it on December 31.