Pork Shoulder with Root Vegetables and Apples (Irish)

In this easy one-pan dinner, boneless pork loin roast is cooked over a bed of carrots, parsnips and apples for an all-in-one dish that makes an impressive centerpiece for a holiday meal or Sunday dinner.

2 Tbsp. butter
5 strips bacon, finely chopped
2 onions, quartered
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 parsnips, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (2 lb) pork shoulder roast, boneless, rolled and tied (1 kg)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups apple juice or cider (475 mL)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

To Serve:
boiled potatoes

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until well browned. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a baking dish large enough to hold the pork roast, with room to spare.

Put the onions, carrots, parsnips, and garlic into the skillet and cook in the butter and bacon fat for 12-14 minutes, stirring frequently, or until well browned. Remove the vegetables from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the baking dish, stirring to mix them with the bacon.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Snip the twine off the pork and season it generously with salt and pepper. Put the pork into the same skillet, raise heat to high, and cook, adding more butter if necessary, for 4-6 minutes, turning frequently, until browned all over.

Transfer the pork to the baking dish. Deglaze the skillet with the apple juice or cider, letting it boil for 3-4 minutes to reduce slightly.

Put the apples in the baking dish, around the pork. Drizzle the reduced cider over all, then roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 275°F (140°C/120°C fan, Gas Mark 1), cover the baking dish, and roast for about 1 hour more or until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the baking dish, let sit for 5 minutes, then carve. Serve with the vegetables and any cooking juices on the side, and with boiled potatoes, if you like.

Makes 6 servings.