Roast Pork Shoulder/Pá de Porco Assada
This recipe is based on the standard Portuguese way of roasting pork with a marinade of roasted red pepper paste, garlic, red wine vinegar and white wine. Relatively cheap cuts such as shoulder work particularly well. Although somewhat fatty they hold imense flavour and make for a fantastic slow roast with rich and deep-flavored juices.
Roast Pork Shoulder
1 Pork Shoulder Cut
2 Tablespoons of roast red pepper paste (massa de pimento)
2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Teaspoon of pimenton or paprika
4 Crushed bayleaves
4 Smashed cloves of garlic
1 Glass of white wine
1 Tablespoon of butter
Generous sea salt and crushed black pepper
1. Marinate the joint in a mixture of roast pepper paste, garlic crushed with a teaspoon of sea salt, crushed bay leaves, crushed black pepper, pimenton, olive oil and red wine vinegar overnight or 24 hours
2. Season with sea salt and cook in hot oven for 30 minutes in a roasting pan (Portuguese “barro” works particularly well as it retains the juices).
3. Baste, turn and cook in medium oven for 2 hours, checking for moisture occasionally (baste/add white wine if necessary). Cover with tin foil if necessary.
4. Remove the joint from the roasting pan and let it rest for 15 minutes covered with tin foil (make sure you let air go through)
5. Add a glass of white wine to the roasting pan and reduce to make a jus. Mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a little white wine and add to the pan. Taste, correct seasoning, strain, add a tablespoon of butter and stir. Keep warm until service.
6. Remove crackling from joint (this should be crispy), chop finely and use as topping for accompanying green salad. Carve the joint in .5 cm slices and serve with the jus.
Tips: Check cooking state of joing by piercing a carving fork through the thickest area and checking whether juices are clear. You’ll almost certainly want your pork well cooked.
Serve with roast potatoes or Portuguese fried potatoes and a green salad using some of the chopped crackling as topping.
