1 Fresh ham or fresh pork
- shoulder, whole or half,
- bone in or boneless
2 lg Onions; chopped
2 lg Carrots; chopped
2 Celery ribs; chopped,
- including leaves
3 cl Garlic; chopped
1 ts Brown caraway seeds
1 ts Black caraway seeds; if not
- available, use brown
1 ts Celery seed
2 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground cloves -OR-
1 ts Whole cloves
1 tb Whole allspice -OR-
1 ts Ground allspice
1 tb Orange zest; grated
1 tb Black peppercorns
1 lg Bay leaf
Salt; to taste (optional)
1 1/2 c Red table wine
1/2 c Red wine vinegar
1/2 c Olive oil
1/2 c Cognac (optional)
Trim every bit of fat possible off the meat and discard. Place the
meat in a large non-metal container.
Mix all of the other ingredients together and pour over the meat.
Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to
8 days. Turn the meat several times during marination so that no
section is allowed to become dry.
When ready to roast, transfer the meat to a large heavy roaster pan.
An enameled iron roaster with a lid would be ideal. Remove the bay
leaf, peppercorns, whole allspice, and whole cloves (if used) from
the marinade and pour the marinade over the meat.
Roast the meat in a 350°F oven, basting frequently. Allow 30 to
40 minutes per pound. The inside temperature should be 165 to 175°F
as measured with a meat thermometer. Remove the cover during the
last 1/2 hour. You should be able to "cut with a fork" when done.
If the pan becomes too dry, add additional red wine and/or water,
1/2 cup at a time. You will want at least 1 cup of liquid remaining
in the panwhen the roast is done.
Transfer the roast to a carving platter and allow it to cool
slightly before carving. If desired, serve surrounded with small
baked apples or spiced crab apples.
Hunter's Sauce:
Strain the liquid and vegetables from the roasting pan. Transfer
the vegetables to a food processor or blender. Return the liquid to
the roasting pan and skim off as much fat as possible. Add 1/2 cup
of hot water to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat,
scraping up the particles adhering to the pan. Reduce the liquid to
1 cup.
Puree the vegetables in the food processor or blender. Add the
reduced cooking liquid and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small
saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. If the sauce is
too thick, thin to the desired consistency with hot water. Serve in
a silver or pewter pitcher, bowl or sauceboat.
