Roast Pork with Crackling Served with Honey & Mustard Sauce

By tulawdog

Ingredients

• 2 * 2kg pork shoulder - skin scored
• 2 * 2l water
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup salt
• 1 * 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 * 3 star anise
• 1 * 1 tbs black peppercorn
• 2 * 2 tbs vinegar
• * Salt
• Honey & Mustard Sauce
• 5 * 5 shallots - diced
• 1 * 1 tbs unsalted butter
• 1/3 * 1/3 cup brandy
• 1/3 * 1/3 cup water/ stock
• 1/8 * 1/8 cup honey
• 3 * 3 sprigs thyme - washed and leave in whole
• 1 * 1 tbs English mustard
• * Freshly ground black pepper
• * Salt
• * Corn starch slurry (corn starch + water)

Preparation

Step 1

The day before: brining the pork

* Place about 2 cups (500ml) of water, sugar, salt, cinnamon, star anise and black peppercorn in a pot. Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer for about 10 mins.
* Remove from heat, add this to the rest of the water, leave to cool.
* Place pork and brining liquid in a large anough vessel/ zip lock bag.
* Refrigerate overnight.

The next day:

* Discard brine, wash pork to get rid of brine and pat very dry.
* Brush vinegar all over skin.
* Sprinkle some salt over skin and leave to stand for about 30 mins.
* Pre-heat oven to 220°C.
* Roast for 30 mins, until the skin of the pork has started to brown.
* Remove from oven, cover with foil snugly and roast at 170°C for a further 4 1/2 hrs.
* Baste the pork with drippings every now and then.
* After 4 1/2 hrs, remove foil and continue roasting for another 30 mins.
* Remove from oven, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for about 15 mins before carving.

Honey Mustard Sauce

# Melt butter in a saucepan.
# Mix in shallots and fry until soft and translucent.
# Add brandy, boil for a few minutes.
# Add water, honey and thyme. Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer for about 10 mins.
# Stir in mustard.
# Season with salt and pepper.
# Thicken with corn starch slurry.
# Remove sprigs of thyme and serve with pork and crackling.