Roast/Broiled Butterflied Pork Loin

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Here you roast it first, until almost done, then finish it off under the broiler to brown and crisp the surface. For 8 people, buy yourself a 3 1/2-pound boneless pork-loin roast and untie it; it is already butterflied. Remove excess fat but leave a 1/4-inch layer on top. Slash the thick sections of meat lengthwise to even it out, and rub the meat either with dry spice marinade, or with salt, pepper, allspice, and pulverized imported bay leaf. Oil the meat, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Roast it fat side up for about an hour at 375°F, to a meat-thermometer reading of 140°F. Half an hour before serving, make decorative cross-slashes in the fat side and rub in 1/2 tablespoon or so of coarse salt. Brown slowly under the broiler to an internal temperature of 162° to 165°F.

2. Dry Spice Marinade for Pork Products, Goose, and Duck

   Step 2

   Blend the following ground spices in a screw-topped jar and use 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat. For about 1 1/4 cups: 2 tablespoons each of clove, mace, nutmeg, paprika, thyme, and imported bay; 1 tablespoon each of allspice, cinnamon, and savory; and 5 tablespoons white peppercorns.

3. Salt Proportions

   Step 3

   In general, the proportion of salt to use in liquids is 1 1/2 teaspoons per quart. The proportion of salt to raw meat is 3/4 to 1 teaspoon per pound.

4. Flavored Butter Topping—for Broiled Meats, Fish, Chicken

   Step 4

   To make the standard maître d’hôtel, beat drops of lemon juice into a stick of softened unsalted butter, adding a teaspoon each of minced shallot and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Other alternatives or additions can be puréed garlic, anchovies, Dijon mustard, chives or other herbs, and so forth. Make a larger quantity, roll it into a sausage shape, wrap it, and freeze it; it is ready for instant use.