Slow-Roasted Rotisserie Leg of Pork

BBQ pork leg
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 4 hrs 30 mins
Total: 4 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings

This slow-roasted leg of pork is probably one of the best pork roasts you'll ever eat. A roasted leg of pork makes a great centerpiece for a feast and can be an alternative to ham for Easter. It will carve into beautiful, impressive slices.

The pork leg is a less common cut as it is often cured to make ham. If you search a bit, you can find it sold as a bone-in roast or a boneless roast, with or without the skin and fat (crackling) intact. This recipe produces a flavorful crust over the roast, whether or not the crackling is present. You may look for a bone-in roast as those will stay juicier when roasted.

Remember to put a drip pan under the roast so you can catch the juices. Keep some water in the pan so it doesn't dry out and you can baste the pork leg while it cooks. The drippings are excellent to use to make a gravy or sauce to serve with the roasted pork.

Ingredients

For the Pork Leg Roast:

  • 8 to 10 pounds pork leg, uncured, with or without crackling

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard

  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the grill.

  2. Season the pork leg with salt and black pepper.

  3. If the roast is deboned, tie it with kitchen twine. Go around the roast 4 to 5 times with the twine.

  4. Run the rotisserie rod through the center of the pork leg roast and secure the forks.

  5. Place the pork leg on the rotisserie over a medium, indirect heat. Place an aluminum drip pan under it with about 1 inch of water in it.

  6. Cook about 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 150 F (65 C). Baste the roast with the pan drippings 3 or 4 times during cooking.

  7. Combine brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard, and ground cloves. Brush it over the pork leg and continue cooking for 30 to 45 minutes. The glaze will form a crust.

  8. Once internal temperature at the thickest part of pork leg reaches 165 F, the pork leg is done.

  9. Remove from the pork leg from the rotisserie. Place it onto a platter and loosely tent it with aluminum foil. Let the pork leg rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove the rotisserie rod and forks (you may need pliers to do this). Clip the kitchen twine (if used).

  10. Carve the roast into 1/4-inch slices and arrange them on a platter to serve.

Not only are the slices a wonderful centerpiece to a festive dinner, they are also delicious as leftovers served in sandwiches the next day.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1313 Calories
80g Fat
18g Carbs
122g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 1313
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 80g 103%
Saturated Fat 29g 147%
Cholesterol 426mg 142%
Sodium 701mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 122g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 1635mg 35%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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