I’m helping out an elderly neighbor who’s been battling cancer by bringing her home cooked meals every week. She told me that pork is her favorite protein, so I’ve decided to make a heritage pork roast from Fatted Calf Charcuterie in SF that is stuffed with duxelles (mushrooms, shallots, garlic, herbs, etc) and comes completely brined, seasoned and ready to roast. I’ve never done a pork roast before, but it seems pretty straightforward and easy, which is partly why I chose it. I was planning to just use a sheet pan fitted with a rack and roast at 375F until the fat has carmelized and turned a golden brown, then reduce to 300F to finish; approx. 1hr or until my instant read thermometer hits about 135F. Anyhow, pretty simple to follow but my question is as follows…
I’d like to also roast some veggies and potatoes, and I was wondering if I could ditch the rack and plop the roast directly over some rough cut onions, celery, carrots, turnips, potaoes, etc? I don’t have a proper roasting pan, but I do have some vintage Dansk enamel baking pans (think for lasagna or casseroles) and I was wondering if it would be better to try to outfit that with a rack and the root veggies/potatoes underneath or if a thin sheet pan (for even heat distro) with the roast directly on top of the veggies/potatoes would be a better way to go? I suppose a third alternative would be to roast the veggies separately from the pork (albeit simultaneously in the oven), but that seems like a waste of flavor and delicious lard. Eitherway, I’m planning to deglaze the pan with a couple cups of hard cider, apple cider vinegar, tablespoons of dijon, butter, s&p…
Just wondering the pros/cons of roasting directly over the potatoes and veggies vs using a rack and also a deeper enamel pan (or even a heavy cast iron skillet) vs sheet pan which would surely offer a more even distribution of heat to all sides of the roast. Not sure I can fit all those veggies and potatoes under a rack on a thin sheet pan, which is why I ask. It seems a lot easier and probably more flavorful to just plop the roast right on the veggies. The downside is that it would be difficult to turn them over as needed; I’d have to pull the roast off to do that. I’d love to read your thoughts and any added suggestions/tips you’ve got. Also, would you parboil potatoes before roasting them with any of the above methods?
In my opinion none of your ideas are wrong. I think in the end it really comes down to cooking times, finding out how to avoid “X is burning but Y isn’t close to done yet”. The greater the number of items, the more planning it might take to get all of them done to the right level.
If you end up having to pull your dish out of the oven a lot to switch things around, you might end up wishing you had just “caved” and done them separately from the start.
Thanks David and good point… I could just as easily pick up some leaf lard to toss the veggies in and roast them seperately, keeping things simple and straightforward with just as flavorful results. I think I’ll go that route!
I like the idea of roasting the pork on top of the veggies. Lots of extra flavor there! If one or the other is done sooner, it would be easy to separate the roast, and finish whichever needs more cooking. I say go for it!
You are doing a very nice thing for your neighbor!
I’ve considered that, but is it really necessary versus just using a rimmed metal sheet pan? I’ve read so many mixed thoughts on this question. As mentioned, I’ve got a few mid-century Dansk Kobenstyle baking pans that could probably be substituted, although such a heavy pan with enamel coating is perhaps not the best heat conductor for uniform cooking. What are people’s thoughts on metal sheet pans with rack VS stainless steel roasting pans. Does it really make a difference? I’m going to be doing a test run tomorrow night by roasting a whole stuffed liberty duck atop russet potatoes on a sheet pan, so I guess I’ll see how that goes.
I think it’s always smart to go with what you already have. Plunk that meat directly onto the veggies! Or you could crumple up some aluminum foil and sit that meat on that, with the veggies strewn around.
Duck renders an awful lot of fat and for that reason alone I would use a roasting pan. Trying to take a rimmed baking sheet out of a hot oven could spell trouble.
Simple answer: yes. I do this regularly on yacht deliveries. If I can do it at sea, you can do it at home. I usually use a disposable foil roasting pan for logistics reasons. I can’t speak to cuts other than pork tenderloin: the drippings from that are well within what you can contain in a sheet pan.
