Slow-Roast Boned Shoulder of Pork with Chestnut Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 1 pound peeled cooked chestnuts, coarsely mashed with a fork
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 boned shoulder of pork, 4 to 6 pounds (ask your butcher to score the skin for you, if possible)
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A glass of dry cider
• 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
• 1 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or pork stock

1. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and celery, and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened.
2. Remove from the heat, add the apples, chestnuts, herbs, lemon zest, bread crumbs, and egg, season well, and mix thoroughly.
3. Let cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 425F.
5. Layout the boned pork shoulder, skin side up, on a work surface.
6. If the butcher hasnt already done so, score the skin at 1/2-inch intervals with a sharp knife.
7. Turn the meat over and spread the stuffing evenly over the flesh, leaving a margin around the edge.
8. You will have some stuffing left over - this can be packed into a buttered ovenproof dish and put in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the porks cooking time.
9. Rollup the meat and tie securely in several places with string.
10. Put it into a smallish roasting pan (this ensures the juices dont reduce and blacken too much) and tuck the thyme underneath it.
11. Drizzle the oil over the skin, season well with salt and pepper, then massage the oil and seasoning into the skin with your fingers.
12. Put in the oven for a 30-minute sizzle.
13. Remove from the oven, pour the cider and a glass of water into the dish, and turn the temperature down to 300F.
14. Cook for another 4 to 5 hours until the meat is very tender, then raise the heat to 375F and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes to crisp up the crackling.
15. Transfer the pork to a warm dish and let rest, uncovered, in a warm place for 20 minutes.
16. Pour off most of the fat from the roasting juices in the pan.
17. Place the pan over low heat, sprinkle in the flour, and stir it into the juices to form a smooth paste.
18. Add as much stock as you need to form a thin but tasty gravy, bring to a simmer, and cook for a few minutes.
19. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour into a warm gravy bowl.
20. Cut the crackling from the pork and break it into large pieces.
21. The pork should be tender enough to spoon or tear into thick shreds.
22. Serve with the crackling, gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, and sauteed leeks or shredded savoy cabbage (or both).

unsalted butter, onion, celery stalks, golden delicious apples, chestnuts, fresh sage, lemon, fresh white bread crumbs, egg, salt, pork, thyme, olive oil, salt, glass, flour, chicken

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/slow-roast-boned-shoulder-of-pork-with-chestnut-stuffing (may not work)