Roast Pork Shoulder with Potatoes, Carrots & Gravy
This roast pork shoulder with hasselback potatoes is a versatile recipe, suitable for a Christmas feast or a quiet Sunday. A rolled Otway Pork shoulder is roasted hot for golden crackling, then slow-roasted until tender and juicy, while garlic and herb hasselback potatoes crisp up alongside sweet maple-glazed Dutch carrots. Finished with a quick mustard and balsamic gravy, it’s a generous, crowd-pleasing centrepiece that’s easier to pull off than it looks.
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg rolled Otway Pork shoulder boneless
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sea salt flakes
- 1.5 kg Desiree or washed potatoes, peeled and halved lengthways (see tips)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary or thyme leaves, plus extra to serve
- 2 bunches Dutch carrots, trimmed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
Easy Gravy
- 250 g pouch roast pork gravy
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons balsamic glaze
Method
Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Drizzle the pork shoulder with 1 tablespoon oil and rub it into the rind. Then, rub 2 tablespoons salt into the rind and score marks.
Place pork onto a greased rack in a large baking pan. Pour water into the pan until 1cm deep (ensure the pork does not touch the water). Roast pork for 40-45 minutes or until pork crackling is golden and crisp.
Reduce oven heat to 160°C/140°C fan-forced and roast pork, topping up the water, if necessary, for a further 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes or until just cooked through and the juices run clear (65°C when tested in the thickest part with a meat thermometer). Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes.
While the pork is cooking, line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place potatoes, one at a time, cut-side down onto a chopping board and make thin, evenly spaced cuts at 3mm intervals along the potato to about 1cm from the bottom (see tips). Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, garlic and chopped herbs. Toss until well combined. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Place carrots onto the remaining baking tray. Combine maple syrup or honey and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a jug. Whisk until combined. Pour mixture over carrots and toss until coated. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until tender and golden.
To make the Easy Gravy, microwave the gravy following packet directions. Pour into a heatproof jug. Add mustard and balsamic glaze. Stir until well combined.
Serve pork with potatoes and carrots. Garnish with extra herbs. Serve with the hot gravy.
Notes
For the best method to cooking a pork roast with perfect crackling: place the pork, uncovered, in the fridge overnight to air dry. Let pork stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
Choose even-shaped oval (not round) potatoes weighing about 220g each for the potatoes. Cut a thin slice off the base of each potato to make it sit flat while cutting. For ease, place each potato between two x 1cm thick chopsticks to make it impossible to cut all the way through.
FAQs
How do I cut hasselback potatoes without slicing all the way through?
Try to find even, oval-shaped potatoes of about 220 g each. Cut a thin slice off the base so they sit flat, place each potato between two chopsticks and slice at 3 mm intervals. The chopsticks stop the knife before it reaches the bottom, so the potato holds together.
Why is water added to the roasting pan?
The water stops the pan drippings from burning and smoking during the long roast, and adds a little moisture to the oven to keep the meat juicy. Keep the pork on a rack above the water so the rind stays dry and crackles, and top up the water if it evaporates.
How long does a rolled pork shoulder take to roast?
A 2.5 kg rolled pork shoulder takes around 3 to 3¼ hours in total: 40 to 45 minutes at 240°C to crackle the rind, then 2¼ to 2½ hours at 160°C. It’s ready when a meat thermometer reads 65°C in the thickest part and the juices run clear. Rest it for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Can I make the gravy from scratch?
Yes. Once the pork is out of the oven, skim the excess fat from the pan juices, stir in a tablespoon of plain flour over medium heat, then gradually whisk in about 2 cups of chicken or pork stock and simmer until thickened. Finish with the Dijon mustard and balsamic glaze as in the easy gravy.
