Ingredients

• about 6 lb. hand and spring of pork
•   salt and pepper
• ½ oz. lard, melted
• 8 large cooking apples, large
• 1 small lemon, small
• good pinch mixed dried herbs
• 4 oz. fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 small egg, beaten

Method

1. Ask the butcher to score the skin of the pork.
2. Turn on oven; set at moderate, 375°F (Mark 5).
3. Wipe meat with a damp, clean cloth. Season meat well with salt and pepper. Rub skin with salt then with melted lard to get crisp crackling.
4. Stand pork on grid of grill pan in a roasting tin. Do not add any lard. Cook in centre of pre-heated oven for 4 hours, or until cooked through. To test if cooked, insert a knife between slits in skin. If pink juices run, cook the meat further.
5. Meanwhile, wash apples. Core, but do not peel. Slit skins round centre of the apples to prevent them bursting during cooking.
6. Grate rind of lemon. Squeeze out juice and strain.
7. Put lemon rind, juice, dried herbs, breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper into a basin. Mix together well.
8. Stuff hollows in apples with the breadcrumb mixture.
9. Put apples in tin round pork for last 30-40 mins. cooking time.

Notes