SLOW COOK PORK SHOULDER

SLOW COOK PORK SHOULDER

A fabulous dish to warm you up on colder nights, great after a good bonfire and with a lovely glass of mulled wine…

Ingredients

2kg pork shoulder – rind on

2 apples, quartered

3 shallots, halved

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

3 large garlic cloves, skins on

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp fennel seeds

1 sprig Rosemary

800ml chicken or vegetable stock

200ml dry cider

1 Tbsp plain white flour

750g baby potatoes

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 Tbsp mixed herbs

1 Tbsp rapeseed oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 220˚C

Pat dry the pork with kitchen paper, then season the meat with salt and pepper. Score the rind with a sharp knife (don’t cut too deep) then rub in a good handful of the sea salt. Place the joint in a cast iron casserole pot – without the lid – and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

When the rind begins to blister and crackle, remove the pot from the oven and turn down to 170ºC.

Place the apples, shallots, celery, garlic, bay leaf and fennel seeds under & around the pork, then pour in the stock & cider so the joint is half covered with liquid. Add sprig of rosemary, cover with the lid and return to the oven and cook for 3 hours.

After 3 hours the meat will be very tender but will hold its shape. Remove the pot from the oven and turn the oven back up to 200ºC. Carefully remove the meat, shallots and apple pieces from the cooking liquid. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the crackling from the joint. Cover and rest the joint whilst you cook the potatoes and finish off the crackling.

Place the potatoes in a roasting tray, coat well with the mustard, herbs, oil and add seasoning to taste. Add the crackling on top of the potatoes and place in the oven. Cook for 50 minutes turning the potatoes halfway during cooking and remove the crackling once it is nice & crispy.

Pour the cooking stock through a sieve into a clean saucepan. Place over a medium heat. Take a few tablespoons of the liquid and combine in a bowl with the flour. Whisk this mixture back into the cooking stock and simmer until thickened.

Season to taste.

Slice and serve the pork, potatoes, apple and shallot pieces and then pour over the gravy.

Serve with seasonal greens and the delicious crackling!