Written by Katka Melicharova
A good piece of pork cannot be imagined without garlic flavor, and rosemary is a traditional North Bohemian spice. If you add both garlic and rosemary to heated lard, the scent of days of old will beautifully permeate through the meat. To make the illusion of ancient times perfect, serve this meal with pearl barley and beer.
For more information about the Liberec Region, from which this recipe comes, click here.
Roasted pork
2 lb pork steak
pork lard for frying
3 garlic bulbs
5 sprigs rosemary
Side dish
1 lb potatoes
5 1/2 Tbs barley
2 Tbs butter
1 lb fresh spinach
1 medium onion
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
pressed garlic to taste
marjoram to taste
Cut the pork into two parts, rolling up and binding each part with twine. Add salt and pepper to the pork and roast it in lard until golden brown.
Then put the pork, garlic bulbs, and rosemary sprigs into a baking pan with warm grease. The meat must be completely immersed in lard. Let it simmer on the stove slowly for 4-5 hours or you can heat it in the oven at about 200°F.
Boil the potatoes and barley in salted water until soft. Then mash the potatoes with butter, add barley, salt, and pepper, and flavor it with garlic and marjoram.
Coat finely-sliced onion with the lard. Add rinsed spinach to it. Warm these briefly and add salt and pepper.
Remove the string from the finished meat. Carefully slice the meat with a sharp knife — the meat will be very soft. Serve the meat with pearl barley and spinach and a roasted garlic clove, which is sweet and soft.
