Suckling pig loin with baked quinces

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg suckling pig – back
• Salt
• 10 cloves
• 300 ml apple wine, alternatively cider
• 300 ml chicken stock
• 2 quinces
• 1 apple
• 100 g butter
• ½ organic orange(s)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 100 g horseradish from the narrow piece
• 10 g brown sugar
• 3 tbsp jelly (quince jelly)
• 2 tbsp mustard flour
• Cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 15 minutes

Place the suckling pig loin in a roasting tin with the rind facing down and fill with 100 ml of water so that only the rind is in the water. Boil the rind for approx. 10 minutes, remove and let it rest covered with a cloth for 30-45 minutes. Wipe the quinces with a soft cloth and then wash them in hot water. Preheat the oven to 175°C (top/bottom heat). Make diamond-shaped cuts in the rind with a sharp knife or a cutter and stud them with the cloves. Place the loin in a roasting tin and roast in the oven on the lowest rack with 300 ml of cider for 1.5 hours, gradually adding the remaining cider and the stock. Halve the quinces and use a melon baller to remove the core. Cut out the stalk. If necessary, make a slight cut at the bottom of the quinces to ensure they stand better in the roasting tin. Quarter the apple and remove the core. Spread 75 g of butter into the quince cavity. Peel the orange peel thinly with a vegetable peeler. Add the quinces and apple quarters to the meat 40 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Add the bay leaves and orange peel to the stock and pour in the apple cider vinegar. Wash, peel, and very thinly slice the horseradish. Cook the horseradish slices in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until almost soft, remove, and drain well. Mix the brown sugar, quince jelly, and mustard powder with a little cayenne pepper and melt over low heat. After 1.5 hours of cooking, increase the heat to 220°C. Brush the rind with the sugar-mustard mixture and bake the crust for about 15 minutes until crispy, using the grill if necessary. Make sure the crust doesn’t get too brown. Melt the sugar in a pan until golden yellow, add the remaining butter, then the horseradish slices, and let it caramelize for 1-2 minutes, turning occasionally. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. Distribute horseradish slices over the quinces. Serve with mashed potatoes or potato pancakes.