Slow-Cooked Asian Pork with Crackling

Remove the packaging from the pork if necessary. With a sharp knife score the pork skin finely. Alternatively get the butcher to do this for you. Rub the skin with 2-3tsp salt. Place on a tray and cover with baking paper. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow the skin to dry out. To ensure good crackling the skin must be well dried.

Preheat oven to 150°C (fan assisted). Place onion and apple slices into a roasting dish. With the back of a knife bruise the lemongrass stalk and place in the dish (if using). Make sure the roasting dish size is appropriate for the size of the piece of pork. Sit the prepared pork on the apples and onions. Pour Whitlock’s Killer Sauce for Pulled Porkaround the base of the pork and add 1 cup of water. Avoid getting the pork skin wet.

Roast for 4 hours until the pork is tender. During cooking make sure the sauce covers the apple and onion slices and ensure the sauce does not evaporate. If necessary, add a little extra water. Remove the meat from the roasting dish. Pour sauce, onions and apples into a saucepan. Remove the lemongrass. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (fan assisted). Return the pork to the roasting dish and put it back in the oven for a further 20-25 minutes to allow the crackling to crisp.

Spoon the fat off from the sauce. Reheat the sauce, adding extra water if the sauce is too thick.

Serve the pork cut into thick pieces with the sauce. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables on the side – bok choy, beans or brocollini. Garnish with coriander (optional).