speedylee: **[Pork Shoulder Roast with Crispy Crackling](https://www.recipetineats.com/pork-shoulder-roast-with-crispy-crackling/)** by RecipeTin Eats
*Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 3 hrs 20 mins, Total Time: 3 hrs 35 mins, Servings: 10*
**Ingredients**
* 2.5 kg/ 5 lb boneless skin on pork shoulder, unscored (Note 1 & 5)
* 2 1/2 tsp salt , separated
* 1 1/4 tsp black pepper , separated
* 2 tsp fennel seeds (or other herb/spice of choice)
* 1 tbsp+ 1 tsp olive oil
* 2 garlic bulbs , halved horizontally
* 1 onion , quartered (brown, white, red)
* 2cups/ 500 ml dry white wine or alcoholic cider (Note 2)
*Gravy:*
* 1/4 cup / 65g flour (Note 5)
* 2cups / 500ml chicken broth , low sodium
* Salt and pepper
**Instructions**
1. Pat the skin dry with paper towels. If time permits, leave in the fridge uncovered overnight (even 1 hr helps). If not, pat extra well.
2. Preheat oven to 220C/430F.
3. Sprinkle pork flesh with 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, all the fennel seeds and 1 tbsp olive oil.
4. Rub into flesh, right into all the crevices and cracks.
5. Flip pork, drizzle skin with 1 tsp oil, then rub all over with fingers.
6. Sprinkle all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
7. Place halved garlic bulbs and onion in roasting pan. Place pork skin side up on top of them.
8. Carefully pour wine into the pan, being sure not to wet the skin. Transfer to oven.
9. Immediately turn oven down to 160C/320F (standard) or 140C/290F.
10. Roast 2 1/2 hours.
11. Check at 1.5 hours to see if the pork is warped and the skin surface is significantly not level. If so, adjust to make the skin surface as level as possible using balls of foil and moving large dislodged pork pieces to the side (key tip for crispy crackling, Note 3). Then return to oven for the remaining 1 hour.
12. Remove pork from oven. If pan is dried out, add some water.
13. Turn oven up to 240C/450F, or as high as it will go.
14. Return pork to oven for 30 minutes, rotating every 5 to 10 minutes or until skin is crisp and bubbly.
15. Transfer pork to serving platter, tent loosely with foil and rest for 20 minutes. Then slice using a serrated knife.
16. Serve with gravy. Don’t pour gravy over crackling – move it to the side! See note for reheating.
Gravy:
1. Skim off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pan, if you can (I usually do not).
2. Place strainer over saucepan. Scrape all pan contents into strainer, including onion etc. Press to extra juices from garlic, onion etc. then discard.
3. Add flour into saucepan, whisk to combine.
4. Turn on heat to medium, then pour broth in while whisking.
5. Simmer until thickened to syrup consistency – about 3 minutes – it will thicken more while serving. (Note 4 for colour tip)
6. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. pour into serving jug. Serve with pork.
**Recipe Notes**
1. Pork: use a flat, boneless pork shoulder that is not scored, preferably without a big “flappy” piece hanging off it. The flatter the skin while roasting, the better the crispy cracking. The perfect piece is a neat square or rectangle shape that is fairly even thickness all over with a flat, smooth skin. If you have a big flappy piece hanging off the underside of the pork (it’s from cutting the bone out), it’s totally fine but be aware that the roast will warp during roasting and will need to be levelled out (see Note 3). Scored pork will work fine for this recipe but this recipe is specifically designed for pork without scored skin (ie slashes across the skin). If your pork skin is scored, follow the recipe as is, it will work just fine BUT you may be able to take it out earlier during the high heat phase right at the end, judge by how your crackling looks.
2. Any dry white wine or alcoholic cider is fine. Even apple juice is great, which I have tried and loved. Chicken broth can also be used but it you do, use half water and half broth for the gravy. Water can also be used (but stick with broth for gravy).
3. The more level the skin is, the better the crackling. See in post for example. Use scrunched up balls of foil tucked under the pork to level the height of the skin before blasting with high heat to get the bubble. Pork shoulder that is not trussed with netting or string will warp when cooking, especially if the pork has a big “flappy piece” hanging off it. So when you check the pork at 1.5 hours, if there is a large piece of meat that are sticking out and causing the pork skin to be uneven, just pull it out to the side to help make the more level.
4. Gravy colour is dependent on the browning in the pan juices. If your gravy is lighter than you want, a cheeky tip is to use DARK soy sauce instead of salt. It will darken your gravy whilst also seasoning it, but no one will ever taste the soy sauce!
5. DIFFERENT PORK SIZES – use the recipe scaler (click on servings and slide) to adjust ingredient quantities based on the size of pork you are using. The cook times below are based on pork that is around 5-8 cm / 2-3.2″ thick, including skin. I don’t recommend using this recipe for pork less than 1.5kg/3lb. 1.5kg / 3 lb: reduce slow cook time by 30 minutes, and check at 1 hour to ensure it’s straight. 2 – 3kg / 4 – 6lb: cook times per recipe
3.5 – 4.5kg / 7 – 8lb: add 30 – 45 minutes to the slow cook time and add 1 cup extra liquid (helps keep the flesh more moist + ensure pan doesn’t dry out). Smaller piece = more warping = less stable = risk of tipping over and skin getting wet.
6. GLUTEN FREE OPTION: Mix 2 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch with a splash of the broth. Then add it into the saucepan with the rest of the broth and the pan juices, per recipe. As it simmers, it will thicken into a gravy consistency.
coconutbag: That gravy looks so good. [Put that on everything.](https://makeagif.com/i/UOGOG9)
I will probably make bake this in my skillet so I can make the gravy in the same pan.
alpha_whore: This looks amazing, and the technique is solid. I appreciate the tips in the recipe comment as well.
bangsilencedeath: Oh godammit why you doing this to me.
BmoresSpice: That with some mashed potatoes and green beans….mouth watering!
r4nd0m_vape: 9am and I am seriously hungry now – thanks 🙏 will definitely do this …
allurmemesrbelong2me: I’m hungover as hell right now and this looks like the perfect cure.
CharlieBoxCutter: It’s sometimes hard to find a shoulder with that layer of fat like you had. If I run across one then I’m going to try this recipe
DeterministDiet: Y’all. My British friend made this for me a few years ago. It’s the only thing I would renege on being a vegetarian for instantly. (Until it’s all gone, anyway.) I’d just have to have a meat-cheat day, lol.