You may know that Czechs have a passion for all things pork. In fact, one of the most iconic dishes in Czech cuisine is pork roast. If you happen to have some leftover pork roast from your dinner (though I wouldn't count on it much), turn it into a delightful spread for your sandwich. Curious how? Let's dive into the recipe!
➜ About the recipe
This delicious spread is made from ground leftover pork roast, flavored with onions, garlic, gherkins, and mustard. Czechs love to spread it on fresh slices of bread for a hearty snack or a satisfying dinner.
I must point out here that the Czechs prepare roasted pork from cuts of meat that are generously marbled with fat. Pork shoulder is the most common, but pork belly (Czech bůček) works best for this recipe. Both cuts contain enough fat to render during roasting, creating the binding agent for this tasty spread.
Since this recipe focuses on making a spread from leftover pork roast, I won't go into the specifics of preparing the roast itself. You can find a detailed recipe here: Oven roasted pork belly bites.
➜ Czech name and pronunciation
For those curious about the Czech name of this recipe, here it is: "Pomazánka z pečeného vepřového masa."
Also, I have recorded a short audio clip for you where I pronounce the name of the recipe in Czech. It contains one tricky letter, Ř. The pronunciation of this letter sometimes gives trouble even to Czech natives!
➜ Ingredients you need
To make a homemade spread from leftover pork roast, grab these ingredients:
- Roasted pork belly; including drippings and rendered lard. Pork belly should make up at least half of the pork roast you intend to use for the spread. The rest can be less fatty cuts of meat, like pork shoulder or pork chops. Pork tenderloin is not ideal, as it contains very little fat.
- Yellow onion
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Gherkins; canned in sweet and sour brine (you can find a Czech recipe for homemade gherkins here)
- Yellow mustard; or Dijon mustard for extra flavor
- Salt and black pepper; for seasoning
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
Kitchen equipment: Meat grinder; I use an electric meat grinder equipped with a plate disc with larger holes.
➜ How to make leftover pork roast spread
STEP 1: Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the garlic and press or mash it. Finely chop the gherkins.
STEP 2: Leave the fat and drippings from the roast in the roasting pan. Cut the roasted pork into smaller pieces and grind them using a meat grinder with a large hole plate.
STEP 3: Add the drippings and fat, chopped onion, pressed garlic, chopped gherkins, mustard, and ground pepper to the meat. Mix with a fork or spoon or in a stand mixer with the flat paddle. Taste, and add salt or pepper if necessary.
➜ Serving
Serve the leftover pork roast spread on a slice of fresh rye bread as an open-faced sandwich. Top with pickled cucumbers or gherkins. Optionally, garnish with a sliced onion or green scallions.
➜ Storage
Store the spread in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, to prevent it from drying on the surface. Use within 4-5 days.
I would not recommend freezing the spread due to its high fat content.
➜ Useful tips
- Be careful with salt. Pork roast is already salty, so you may not need any extra salt to season the spread.
- To make the spread, use fatty pork roast. Ideal choices include boneless pork belly or marbled pork shoulder, also known as Boston butt.
- Is the meaty spread too stiff and difficult to brush? Lack of fat may be the issue! Add a tablespoon or two of lard from the roasting pan to achieve the proper spreadable consistency.
More Czech pork recipes:
- Easy pork goulash (vepřový guláš)
- Pork meatloaf (vepřová sekaná)
- Oven roasted pork shoulder recipe (vepřová pečeně)
Are you fed up with meat already? Give this delicious yeast spread a try!
Tried this recipe?
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Leftover Pork Roast Spread
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Ingredients
- 1 pound pork roast preferably, pork belly roast combined with pork shoulder
- 3 Tablespoons lard drippings and fat from roasting
- 1 medium onion
- 2 gherkins dill pikles
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and pressed
- 2 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion. Peel 2 cloves garlic and press them. Finely chop 2 gherkins.
- Leave the rendered fat and drippings in the roasting pan. Cut the leftover of 1 pound pork roast into smaller pieces and grind them in a meat grinder with a large hole plate.
- Add the drippings and 3 Tablespoons lard, chopped onion, pressed garlic, chopped gherkins, 2 Tablespoon yellow mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper to the meat. Mix with a fork or spoon or in a stand mixer with the flat paddle. Taste, and add salt or pepper if necessary.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 4-6 portions.
- SERVING: Serve the leftover pork roast spread on a slice of fresh rye bread as an open-faced sandwich. Top with pickled cucumbers or gherkins. Optionally, garnish with a sliced onion or green scallions.
- STORAGE: Store the spread in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, to prevent it from drying on the surface. Use within 4-5 days. I would not recommend freezing the spread due to its high fat content.
- To make the spread, use fatty pork roasts. Ideal choices include boneless pork belly or marbled pork shoulder, also known as Boston butt.
- Is the meat spread too stiff and difficult to brush? Lack of fat may be the issue! Add a tablespoon or two of lard from the roasting pan to achieve the proper spreadable consistency.
Libor Stříž
US home cooks have reportedly very seldom a meat grinder to process roast leftovers. Can they use a mixer with blades? Or, is the texture of the result too different?