You will need a large ovenproof pot to make pork roast with carrot and fennel seed. A lidded enameled cast iron braiser is ideal, but any heavy pot will do. If the pot doesn’t have a lid, use tinfoil. I used my Staub 5 quart/liter braiser. It weighs more than I do.

You will also need a heavy frying pan to brown the roast and vegetables. It must be large enough to accommodate the roast. I used 12 inch/30 cm frying pan. Seasoned cast iron would work, too.

To presalt the pork: place the roast in a baking pan. Using a teaspoon of Kosher or fine sea salt per pound, rub the meat thoroughly with the salt. Cover lightly and refrigerate up to three days.

When you are ready to cook, bring pork to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325F/160C.

If your oven has an exhaust fan, turn it on. You might want to open a window, too. Place the braising pot on one burner, pour in a little olive oil, and turn the heat to low. Heat the frying pan to medium high. My roast had a nice layer of fat, so I didn’t add any oil to the pan. If your pork is lean, add a little olive oil to your pan.

Put the bay leaf and potatoes in the braising pot.

Carefully put the pork roast in the frying pan, fat side (if it has one) down. You should hear it crackle. Allow it to brown for about five minutes. Brown does not mean burn; you may need to adjust the heat up or down. When a spatula slides freely under the meat, it is ready to be turned. I do this by gracelessly stabbing a serving fork into one side while sliding the spatula beneath the meat.

Brown the other three sides of the roast. They may need less time. It’s hard to be exact, as all oven, pans, and cuts of pork differ.

Once you’re pleased with the browning, turn the heat down under the pan and move the meat to the braiser.

Carefully pour off any fat accumulated in the pan.

Add the red wine to the frying pan and crank the heat back up to high. As the wine reduces, scrape away at the pan’s bottom to get the browned bits up. When you’re finished, cover the pan with a splatter screen, if you’ve got one, and reduce the wine until it’s syrupy and appears to be about two tablespoons. If you’re using cognac or brandy, add it now, and by all means, set it aflame. Keep the screen off–setting it on fire is a very, very bad idea.

Once the flames die out, turn the heat back down. Add the liquid to the braiser.

Now turn the heat to medium. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots to the frying pan. Give everything a good stir. Season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. I don’t aim for browning here so much as flavoring the food with whatever is left in the pan. I didn’t need the splatter screen here, as most of the fat and liquid was gone.

Tip the vegetables into the braiser.

Soak the frying pan. I find adding a little white vinegar helps to clean baked-on gunk.

Now add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste (if using; I forgot it), proscuitto, salt, pepper, and fennel seed to the braising pot. Give everything a good stir. Put the lid on the pot and slide it into the oven.

Cooking time will be about 2 hours. Check at half-time: it is doubtful more liquid will be needed. The roast is done when it slices without any resistance whatsoever and the meat looks and smells done.

You can cook the pork roast atop your stove over low heat. It will take much longer to cook; 3-4 hours.

Serve with bread and a green salad.

Leftovers keep, refrigerated, up to five days.

Roast may be frozen up to three months; any vegetables cooked alongside are best eaten, as they become soggy in the freezer.

Notes:

Feel free to add or omit your favorite root vegetables.

Use whatever liquid pleases you. If you don’t have chicken broth, water is fine. So is vegetable broth or light beef broth.

If you abstain from alcohol, broth, water, or apple juice will all work. (Just make sure the apple juice isn’t too sweet.)

As discussed in the post, the small piece of preserved pork or Parmesan end is tossed in for added flavor. While not crucial, it boosts flavor.

I did not have any oil or fat to discard from this dish, but when I do, I pour it into a glass canning jar kept in the refrigerator. Once it’s full, I throw it in the trash. If you have better ideas for dealing with used cooking oils/fats, I welcome them.