Lunar New Year - Chinese Crispy Pork Shoulder

Turn your classic pork roast into a whole new dish by adding just a few simple spices. The pork shoulder is the hero of this recipe which works well due to its marbled meat, keeping it moist and tender and providing tonnes of flavour. It uses soy, garlic, ginger, star anise and cinnamon, cooked in a delectable sauce that you can pour over the roast once it's cooked. If you're lucky you might be blessed with some leftovers to use in rice paper rolls, fried rice or the ultimate banh mi at home!

Ingredients

• 2kg boneless pork shoulder
• 100ml + 2 tbsp tamari or soy
• 2 tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp salt
• 4 garlic cloves, bruised
• 2 inch ginger, sliced
• 2 spring onions, cut into batons
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 1 tsp white pepper

Method

1. If you've got time, take the pork out of the packaging, pat dry with paper towel and leave in the fridge, uncovered overnight to dry out the skin.
2. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius.
3. Place the pork on a large roasting tray and rub it with the 2 tbsp tamari, followed by white pepper and then salt.
4. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20 mins or until the skin has started to blister.
5. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees and take the pork out of the oven.
6. Add 100ml tamari to the pan, followed by 300ml of water.
7. Now add in the garlic, ginger, spring onion, star anise, cinnamon and pepper.
8. Place back in the oven and cook for 2 hours or until the pork reaches around 65 degrees celsius.
9. If the skin isn't crispy, blast under the grill for 10 mins but be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
10. Serve it as is with some stir fried greens or wow your mates with pancakes, spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce!