I’m blessed to live in a city with a large assortment of butcher shops.  My favourite shop is run by a great guy who finds my hobby interesting, enough so that he accommodates my rather random odd requests.   60 bone-in rib steaks, 14oz each – no problem.  Three large pork shoulders, bone out, seasoned with a combination of salt, pepper, granulated garlic and a smidge of red wine vinegar to make a paste.   This was then massaged into the roast and allowed to marinate for two days.

The recipe in this case isn’t really one, it’s a method.  I’m a fan of slower roasting for pork roasts.   Each roast weighed in at about 8 1/2 pounds and were roasted at 300F for six hours.   Every hour they were basted with an apple reduction.

Apple Reduction

  • 1 gallon apple cider
  • 6 macintosh apples
  • 1 2-inch segment of ginger, peeled
  • 12 cloves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks, broken up
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Peel and grate apples and place in large non-reactive pot.  Add cider, ginger, cloves and cinnamon tied in mesh bag or tea ball.   Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 liter (1 quart).   Puree and return to heat, reduce again by half.