Prep time:

Cooking time: 6 hours

Total time:

Serves: 4

Pork Shoulder Joint

2tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

2tbsp Runny Honey

1tsp Powdered Ginger

2tsp Mustard Powder

1tbsp Oil

For the Caramelised Red Onion Relish

3 Medium Red Onions

2tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1tbsp Brown Sugar

1tbsp Oil

This is great eaten outside (bonfire night?) in a sandwich or floury bap and can even be finished off on the barbeque or (well-wrapped in foil) in the embers of a fire

  1. Mix the soy sauce, honey, mustard, ginger and oil to make a marinade and leave the pork to steep in the mixture overnight in the fridge. I have to confess to an unhealthy addiction to crackling and the way to get it good and crispy is to keep it dry (so when marinading the meat, keep the skin out of the liquid.
  2. Make sure the skin is scored well, then rub a little sea salt over it, getting between the score marks (wipe off any excess). Begin roasting uncovered in a preheated oven on a high heat (450F/230C/gas 8) for 20-30 minutes, then turn heat down low (300F/150C/gas 2) and continue roasting (cover with foil) for 5 hours.
  3. The meat will be tender enough to pull apart with two forks (it is sometimes called pulled pork) and tastes delicious served in a roll or bap with red onion relish or apple sauce

For the caramelised red onion relish:

  1. Finely slice the onions and sauté gently until the onions are soft.
  2. Add the vinegar and sugar and continue to cook in the pan very slowly for approx. 40 mins until caramelised (gloopy).

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether

You may also like

Sausage & apple rolls

Apples go so well with pork and with pastry. Choose a good cooking variety and some high quality sausage meat for these deliciously simple-to-make sausage rolls – perfect to serve at Halloween or Bonfire Night.

Apple, cauliflower & Stilton salad

This crunchy salad is ideal for the autumn – whatever the weather. It is hearty enough to serve for a light lunch or supper on its own, but equally good as a side dish. Use firm, tangy dessert apples like...

Hedgerow harvest cake

Celebrate the season with a delicious combination of fruits and nuts gathered from the hedgerows (or the supermarket). Apple is a very useful ingredient in general for cakes, either grated or as apple purée, as it will help to keep...