Roasted Pork Leg. Ahjukoot

Pork Leg is a traditional Estonian Shrove Tuesday dish. On that day, everything except for the pork legs was eaten.

So before fast, pork legs were used to create an additional greasy, delicious dinner. Last year I wrote about Shrove Tuesday’s customs.
Now, when I think about my childhood school times, on every Shrove Tuesday we had this tradition of going on a 15 km ski-hike.

It happened quite often that on that exact day we had crazy snowstorms and it was terrible! Well, sure, hot pea-soup and Shrove Tuesday’s whipped cream jam filled sweet-buns were waiting for you when you finally got back but still…

Due to global warming or some other unusual phenomenon the snow from November to March isn’t that common anymore. Ironically, I would love to have a chance to ski now… And. Fortunately this year we have real winter with snow 🙂

Btw. Can you tell me why two words: fast food =junk food and fast as fasting have different and contrary meaning but the same base and strain?

Roasted Pork Leg. Ahjukoot

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 2hr 30mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Pork Leg is traditional Estonian Shrove Tuesday dish.

Ingredients

• ca 1,2 kg pork leg
• salt, pepper, bay leave

Directions

1. Put washed pork leg in to pot and bring it  to the boil. The water must cover the meat. Skim off the foam
2. Add salt, pepper, bay leave and let simmer at a medium temperature for 1 hour
3. Take the meat from the broth and drain. Cut until the rind regular grid shaped incisions.  These incisions decorate the pork and facilitate cutting at the table. Taste meat. Season additionally, if needed.
4. Bake in  the oven at 185 C at least for 1,5 hours. If you like, add potatoes, carrots, sauerkraut. And 30 minutes before end apples, tomatoes…

Serve with baked potatoes and  sauerkraut

Keep broth in to the fridge and use for cooking soups.

Soundtrack  from movie ” Viimne Reliikvia” Peeter Tooma “Pistoda laul”

Estonian Shrove Tuesday dishes