Slow-roast pork shoulder

This smoky, melt-in-themouth main course is slowcooked for several hours, making it ideal for a Bonfire Night feast after the fireworks

1tsp black treacle 2tbsp cider vinegar 2tsp smoked paprika 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp mustard powder 1tsp chilli powder 2.7kg boned pork shoulder

1 In a small bowl, mix the treacle, cider vinegar, paprika, cumin, mustard powder and chilli powder until smooth. Using a sharp knife, make deep slashes in the skin of the pork shoulder to cut through the skin and fat layer, but not the meat. Place the joint, skin-side down, in a large dish and rub the spice paste into the meat (not the fat). Turn skin-side, cover tightly with cling film and put in the fridge overnight, or for 24 hrs to give the pork maximum flavour. 2 Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Transfer the pork, skin-side up, to a deep roasting tin, rub 1tbsp sea salt on to the skin and pour 500ml water into the bottom of the roasting tin. Cover tightly with foil and roast in the oven for 5 hrs. 3 Remove the foil, turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook for a further 1 hr 30 mins or until the pork is very tender and the skin has turned to crispy crackling. 4 Once the pork is ready, take it out of the roasting tin, cover with foil and leave to rest. Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a jug and leave to separate. Pour off the fat layer and transfer the remaining juices to a large saute pan. Simmer over a high heat, stirring, until it’s reduced to a rich gravy.

5 Once rested, cut the pork into pieces – it should pull apart with very little effort – and break the crackling into shards. Serve the pork and crackling with the gravy poured over and mustard mash, honey-roasted carrots and quick pickled red cabbage on the side.