A Slow-Roasted B.C. Pork and Squash Recipe By Mark Singson

Ingredients

Slow-roasted B.C. pork

• 1 B.C. butternut squash
• 2-3 lb B.C. pork shoulder, boneless (like Johnston’s)
• 1 B.C. green cabbage
• 7 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 B.C. shallot
• 1 bulb of B.C. garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh B.C. thyme
• salt & pepper to taste

Dressing

• 1 heaping tbsp B.C. mustard (grainy like Yellow Deer Mustard Ol’ Yeller)
• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp B.C. honey (like Dr. Bee Ice Honey)
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Preparation/Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Wash produce and pat dry. Peel your B.C. butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, then cut it into 1-2” cubes and set aside.
2. Season your B.C. pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Make sure to season all sides.
3. Heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium to high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. When you see the oil start to smoke, it’s time to sear. Use your tongs to sear the meat on each side until you get a nice brown colour. While searing, cut a B.C. shallot and whole bulb of B.C. garlic in half–no need to peel, they are just to add flavour to the meat stock–and add them to the saucepan cut side down, along with half of your bunch of fresh B.C. thyme. Once the meat has a nice brown colour, remove from heat.
4. Place seared pork shoulder, shallots, garlic, and thyme in the roasting pan or oven-safe Dutch oven with your cut squash. Cover with tin foil or a lid. Roast it in the oven at 300°F for 2-3 hours (depending on the size of the pork cut), or once the internal pork temperature reaches 195°F.
5. While that’s roasting, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Take your washed and dried B.C. cabbage and chop off the knobby end of the core. Peel and discard outside leaves as needed and chop into wedges. Drizzle olive oil on top and season them with a pinch of salt.
6. When the oil is just starting to smoke, add the wedges to the frying pan with each piece lying flat on one of its cut sides. Sauté undisturbed until the bottom side is charred, 6-7 minutes. Flip the wedges and cook undisturbed until that side is charred, 6-7 minutes. Set aside.
7. Next, let’s prepare the mustard dressing that will tie it all together. Grab a mason jar with a lid and scoop in a heaping tbsp B.C. mustard (grainy), ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp B.C. honey, ¼ cup of olive oil, ½ tsp of black pepper, and ½ tsp of salt. Screw the lid on and shake it to combine and set aside.
8. Once the pork shoulder has reached an internal temperature of 195°F (2-3 hours depending on the size of the pork cut), remove and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Then you’re ready to carve it and serve!
9. Serve pork on top of roasted squash with charred cabbage, and drizzle with honey mustard dressing and a little olive oil. Garnish with the other half of your fresh thyme. Masarap [Tasty]!

Pro tip

Sear before roasting and rest the meat after roasting. Searing caramelizes the surface of the meat and locks in all the flavours, enhances the savouriness of it all. Letting the roast rest for 15-20 minutes after removing it from the oven is the sweet spot. It gives enough time for the juices to redistribute, and the meat will still be warm for serving.

Optional beverage pairing suggestion

Beer* with a malt-forward profile like Russell Brewing Co’s Wee Angry Scotch Ale or a B.C. brown or amber ale would pair well with the slow-roasted flavours of the pork.

*The legal drinking age in B.C. is 19. Please drink responsibly, in moderation, and always plan a safe ride home.

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