I love Roast Pork, it is the gift that keeps on giving!

Carl has a full time job off the farm and last week he came home with the news he is being laid off for 2 days a week until November.

The first thought that ran through my head wasn’t “Great! We can get so much done on the farm” it was “Omg! I am going to have to feed him for 4 days a week!” He constantly wants feeding when he is at home and that man can eat!!! I have no idea where he puts it all! 

At home he becomes incapable of making his own food. He manages quite well at work, apparently this is because we don't own a microwave. Carl always says that I can be replaced with a microwave! I might have to break down and buy one.  At least he can heat leftovers up!

We are big fans of leftovers in this house. I can cook once and eat twice, sometimes three times if I am clever about it. This is why pork shoulder roast is my gift that keeps on giving - 1 roast will give me 3 different meals.

It doesn't need to be neatly carved, so I can delegate that job to Carl! A Roast pork on Sunday will become a vast array of quick and easy dishes for later in the week :- 

Fajitas

Chinese crispy pork wraps

Pulled pork

Chinese pork stir fry

Thai Pork Curry

Gumbo

The bone I use to make pork stock.

My favourite pork roast is so simple. It is really quick to prepare and slow to cook. You just can't rush a good thing! I always use the slow cooker if I don't want to heat the house with the oven. Plus its a lot less messing around! Slam! Bam! thank you mam!

To slow cook prepare the pork as below. (Step 1, 3 &4) Put veg on bottom of slow cooker, add water/stock and then put the seasoned pork on top. Cook on low all day until pork is tender. To crisp up the fat take it out of the slow cooker and put under the grill/broiler. 

Our absolute favourite seasoning blend is homemade. I simply grind up 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar.

Slow Cooked Pork Shoulder Roast

Ingredients

4.5 lb cobblestone pork shoulder , bone-in,

1 tablespoon my pork seasoning or sea salt
2 onions
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
1 bulb of garlic
600 ml  stock or water

1. Remove the pork from the fridge for 1 hour before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°
3. Get a small sharp knife and make scores about 1 cm apart through the fat, but not so deep that you cut into the meat.
4. Rub my seasoning blend or sea salt right into all the scores you’ve just made.
5. Place the pork, fat-side up, in a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes.
6. At this point, turn the heat down to 170°C/325°F cover the pork  with a double layer of tin foil, pop back in the oven and roast for a further 4½ hours.
7. Meanwhile, halve the onions, carrots and celery, and break the garlic up into cloves (there's no need to peel them).
8. Remove the pork from the oven, take off the foil, and baste the meat with the fat in the bottom of the tray. Carefully transfer to a board, then skim all but 2 tablespoons of excess fat from the tray into a jar, and pop in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.
9. Add all the veg & garlic  to the tray and stir them into the fat. Place the pork back on top of everything and place back in the oven without the foil to roast for 1 further hour, or until meltingly soft and tender.
10. Carefully move the meat to a serving dish, cover again with tin foil and leave to rest while you make the gravy. Spoon away any fat in the tray, then add the stock or water and place the tray on the stove.
11. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to scrape up all those lovely sticky tasty bits from the bottom of the tray. When you’ve got a nice, dark gravy, pour it through a sieve into jug using your spoon to really push all the goodness of the veg through the sieve.
12. Season to taste.

Serve the pork with the jug of gravy and your favourite veg - Enjoy!

If you have leftover recipe ideas you would like to share, leave us a comment, we are always up for more inspiration!