Roasted Pork Shoulder

Prep and Cook

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the pork all over with a generous amount of salt and fresh ground pepper. Scatter the onion and carrot over the bottom of a roasting pan or large Dutch oven and place the pork, fat side up, on the vegetables.
• 2
  Pour the apple cider around the pork and place in the oven, roasting for 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300°F. Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil (or a tight-fitting lid) and cook until the meat is tender and falls away from the bone, about 5 hours.
• 3
  When the pork is cool enough to handle, remove the fat from the roast and shred the meat into bite-size pieces using two forks; discard the bone and large chunks of fat.
• 4
  Shredded meat can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for three days. To freeze it, portion the pork in 2-3 cup servings and freeze for up to three months.
• 5
  To make pulled pork sandwiches, combine your favourite barbecue sauce and shredded pork in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and cook until warmed through. Serve on buns with a side of spicy coleslaw or a kid-friendly shredded veggie salad.
• 6
  To make pork ragu, sauté one sliced onion and one minced garlic clove in some olive oil in a large saucepan, cooking until soft. Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup red wine, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce and 3 cups shredded pork. Stir well and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and serve over pasta.
• 7
  To make pulled pork tacos, heat some olive oil in a large skillet and sauté one chopped yellow onion and two minced garlic cloves, cooking until soft, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon chilli powder and stir well. Add 2 cups shredded pork and 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional) and stir to combine, cooking until warmed through. Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.