Hands-on: Chef Teaches How to Make Roast Pork Leg with Potatoes for Father’s Day

August 2020 – Father’s Day is celebrated next Sunday, the 9th, and to mark the date in a different—and budget-friendly—way, preparing a special lunch can be a great option.

To make choosing the dish easier, chef and nutritionist from the Umami Committee, Lisiane Miura, presents a tasty recipe for roast pork leg with potatoes. The chef says that cooking for someone dear is an excellent way to express love and explains her choice: “The combination of pork leg and potatoes is very flavorful. That’s because pork confers the umami taste to the dish, making the preparation even more appetizing,” explains Lisiane, referring to the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by the scientist Kikunae Ikeda.

Check out the step-by-step and surprise everyone on Father’s Day:

Roast Pork Leg with Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 piece of boneless, trimmed pork leg (2 kg)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced (180 g)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 ½ tbsp salt
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cans dark beer (700 ml)
• 700 g medium potatoes, cut into quarters

DIRECTIONS

1. Start the day before: using a knife, make small cuts on the surface of the pork leg and place it in a large bowl.
2. Separately, mix onion, garlic, salt, vinegar, water, and beer; pour over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 hours.
3. Place the pork in a large roasting pan and pour the marinade over it. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated hot oven (200 °C) for 1 hour 30 minutes.
4. Remove the foil, add the potatoes, and return to the oven, basting with the marinade every 15 minutes, for another 1 hour 30 minutes or until golden.
5. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve immediately with the pan juices.

Yield: 12 servings.
Prep time: 3 h 20 min (+10 h refrigeration).

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the lingering taste for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.