Sliced slow-roasted pork shoulder with crisp crackling, apple and sage

Recipe

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Apple and Sage

Published 09 October 2026 · Updated 13 October 2026

A rolled pork shoulder roasted slowly with apple, cider and sage until tender enough to carve cleanly, then finished uncovered while the pan juices reduce separately. The result is sliceable rather than pulled, with a glossy sauce for serving.

Not kitchen tested by The Black Farmer.
Serves 4
Prep 30 min
Cook 205 min
Total 250 min

Timing: Prep covers seasoning and arranging the tray. The uncovered finish is additional to the covered roast. Pan-juice reduction overlaps the 15-minute pork rest, so rest contributes 15 minutes, not 25, to elapsed time.

Ingredients

  • Pork Shoulder - Boneless, Rolled — 1kg

    Pork Shoulder - Boneless, Rolled

    1 pack (1kg pack)

    Use the 1kg rolled shoulder; the covered roast is deliberately longer than the uncovered browning finish.

    £18.80

Adds 1 items across 1 products — £18.80 total.

Pantry ingredients such as oil, salt and herbs are not included.

Other Ingredients You'll Need

  • Onion — 1 medium, sliced
  • Fine salt and black pepper — to taste
  • Apple — 2, wedged
  • Fresh sage — 6 leaves
  • Cider — 250ml

Method

Season the joint

Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan. Pat the 1kg rolled pork shoulder dry and season generously.

Brown the outside

Roast uncovered for 25 minutes, until the outside is well coloured. Reduce the oven to 150°C, or 130°C fan.

Slow-roast until tender

Add apple, onion, sage and cider. Cover tightly and roast for a further 2 hours 45 minutes. The joint should be tender enough to carve cleanly but not fall apart; check the centre is cooked through.

Finish, rest and reduce

Uncover and roast for an additional 15 minutes to concentrate the outside. Transfer the pork to a board and rest for 15 minutes. While it rests, skim excess fat from the pan juices and reduce them in a saucepan for 10 minutes until glossy. Spoon over the sliced pork.

Serving Suggestion

Rest well, then serve with roast potatoes, greens and the reduced pan juices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tender should the joint be?

It should be tender enough to carve cleanly, not necessarily soft enough to pull. Begin checking near the end of the covered roast.

When are the uncovered minutes added?

They are additional: uncover only after the 2 hours 45 minutes covered roast, then brown for 15 minutes before resting.