The first of many crowd pleasing dishes for this Christmas! Slow roasted boned shoulder, crackling, cress and peaches!
by Pork Farm to PlateCategory
Main Course
Servings
8
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
6 hours
This slow roasted pork shoulder recipe from Mick Nunn is the perfect center piece for your Christmas table. It's punchy enough to grab people's attention and pretty enough to impress the greatest gourmand.
Paired with fresh peaches and peppery cress, this dish will impress the whole family.
Author:Mick Nunn
Ingredients
2.5kg boned pork shoulder - rind on
Half a bunch of rosemary - leaves only
3 long red chillies seeds removed
10 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
200ml Olive Oil
3 onions
375ml can of cider
1L chicken stock
Salt & pepper
4 ripe peaches - sliced thinly
1 bunch watercress
Directions
Slice onions roughly and halve 5 cloves of garlic and cover the bottom of a pan or roasting dish that will just fit the shoulder in it.
With a knife cut one centimeter deep score marks across the skin diagonally and then again in the opposite direction until you have a diamond pattern. Generously season with salt and pepper all over
In a blender or mortar and pestle blitz the rosemary, chilli, remaining garlic, Dijon mustard and 100ml olive oil to make a puree
Liberally smear the puree over the underside of the shoulder and place on the onions. Sit this in the fridge for 4 hours or preferably overnight to allow the skin to dry which will make for better crackling.
Drizzle the skin with olive oil, pour the cider and stock into the bottom of the dish until the pork is semi submerged being careful not to get any on the skin and place in the oven on 220 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The crackle should start to bubble and harden.
Turn the oven down to 150 degrees and cook for a further 5 hours until the pork starts to pull away from itself. You may need to top up the liquid with extra stock or water as the shoulder cooks but don’t get any on the skin as it will have a negative effect on your crackling.
Lift the pork out of the pan and set aside on a large platter to serve it on. What remains in the pan is the most delicious dressing/sauce for your pork shoulder, all you have to do is pour off the excess fat and pass the remaining onions, garlic and juices through a fine strainer and the sauce is done.
The pork will be so tender and will literally pull apart into pieces with a pair of tongs. You may need to tackle the crispy crackling with a knife though.
Separate the shoulder and spread over your platter then pour the sauce over.
Garnish with sliced peaches and cress, then sit back and watch it disappear before your very eyes!!