Slow-roasted pork shoulder with root vegetables and apple jus

If you can resist the alluring smell, the six-hour cooking time will be well worth it for this tender pork with its crisp skin, served alongside glazed roast veggies.

Slow-roasted pork shoulder with root vegetables and apple jus Credit: Chris Middleton

• serves

  6

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  6 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra for seasoning
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 kg (5½ lb) shoulder of pork, bone in, skin scored
• 2 apples, cored and sliced into rings
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 12 baby carrots, scrubbed, leaves trimmed
• 3 parsnips, peeled and cut in half lengthways
• 3 turnips, peeled and cut into quarters

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 130°C/265°F (fan-forced).

2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Place the pork, skin side down, on a clean board. Rub the seasoning mixture into the meat, taking care to keep the skin clean and dry.

3. Arrange the apple and onion slices in a baking dish as a base for the pork to rest on. Add the rosemary sprigs and place the pork on top.

4. Roast for 1 hour to allow the skin to dry out, then cover the dish loosely with foil, reduce the oven temperature to 110°C/230°F (fan-forced) and roast for a further 4 hours.

5. Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil. Place the vegetables around and under the pork. Baste the vegetables and the meaty sides of the pork with the cooking juices and sprinkle the vegetables and the pork skin with sea salt. Pierce the pork skin with a bamboo skewer in many places.

6. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced). Return the dish to the oven to roast, uncovered, for a further 1 hour, or until the vegetables are cooked, the pork is very tender and the pork skin is puffed and crackling.

7. Transfer the pork, carrots, parsnips and turnips to a warm serving dish.

8. To make the apple jus, use a spatula to scrape the pan juices, apple and onion fragments from the baking dish into a narrow jug. Scoop the fat off the top, then use a stick mixer to blend the jus.

9. Transfer the apple jus to a serving jug and serve alongside the roasted

pork and vegetables.

This recipe is from Low & Slow (Smith Street Books).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.