Pork cooked this way gives the most mouth-wateringly tender meat. Serve with chunks of crusty bread and plenty of apple sauce.
Ingredients:
4 apples
3 pears
4 shallots
2kg shoulder of pork
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 star anise
1 stick of cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
300ml cider
2 tbsp maple syrup
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
Peel and cut the apples and pears into quarters and place in a lidded casserole dish.
Peel and cut the shallots in half and add to the dish. Place the shoulder of pork in the centre of the dish.
Season the pork with the sea salt, pepper, fennel seeds, star anise and cinnamon.
Pour the cider and maple syrup over the pork.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes without the lid, then turn the heat down to 160°C and place the lid back onto the dish. Cook the pork for 2-3 hours until tender.
When the pork is tender, lift it out of the dish and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
Pull the pork apart and serve with the roasted apples and pears in crusty bread.
