A classic Spanish Sunday roast, where slow-roasted pork shoulder turns golden brown over a melting bed of panadera potatoes basted in pan juices and white wine.
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork shoulder (espaldilla)
- 1.2 kg roasting potatoes (such as Agria or Monalisa)
- 2 pieces yellow onions
- 8 cloves fresh garlic cloves
- 40 g pork lard
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 200 ml dry Spanish white wine (such as PDO Rueda)
- 150 ml water
- 3 leaves dried bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat your oven to 340 °F (170 °C) with conventional top and bottom heat.
- Score the top layer of fat on the pork shoulder (espaldilla) in a diamond pattern using the tip of a sharp knife, without cutting deep into the meat.
- Pound the peeled garlic cloves in a mortar with the fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried oregano into a coarse paste, then stir in the pork lard and half of the extra-virgin olive oil.
- Rub the pork shoulder (espaldilla) generously on all sides with this seasoned paste, working it deep into the cuts.
- Peel the roasting potatoes and slice them into even 1/4-inch rounds, patatas panaderas style.
- Peel the yellow onions and slice them into medium slivers.
- Arrange the sliced potatoes and onions in the bottom of a large earthenware baking dish or roasting pan, toss gently, season with a pinch of salt, drizzle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil, and tuck the dried bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs among the vegetables.
- Pour the water and half of the dry Spanish white wine directly into the bottom of the dish, taking care not to wash over the tops of the potatoes.
- Set the pork shoulder (espaldilla) on top of the vegetables, fat-side up.
- Roast on the middle rack for an initial 75 minutes, basting the meat twice with the bubbling pan juices to keep it moist.
- Pour the remaining dry Spanish white wine over the meat and around the vegetables, then increase the oven temperature to 410 °F (210 °C).
- Continue roasting for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden, crisp, and caramelized, and a knife easily pierces the potatoes with no resistance.
- Remove the dish from the oven, transfer the pork shoulder (espaldilla) to a cutting board, and tent loosely with aluminum foil for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat.
- Carve the meat into thick, even slices and serve directly over the tender potatoes soaked in pan juices.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 1000.6 kcal
- Protein
- 64.65 g
- Carbohydrate
- 38.1 g
- Fat
- 63.62 g
- Fibre
- 4.88 g
- Calcium
- 65.28 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 13.29 mg
