Roast pork and veg with gravy
A proper roast pork dinner with lots of veg and gravy doesn’t need to be expensive if you choose the right cut of meat. And you can spread the cost over a couple of meals by using the leftover meat in a special fried rice recipe. Shoulder of pork normally cooks for hours, but this quick version flattens the meat so it needs less time in the oven.
This recipe is part of a budget meal plan for six. In November 2023, this recipe was costed at an average of £7.39 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. It is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.
Ingredients
- 1.2kg–1.5kg/2lb 11oz–3lb 5oz pork shoulder joint, rind scored
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 800g/1lb 12oz potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm/1½in chunks
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
- 4 medium parsnips, peeled and halved lengthways
- ½ green cabbage, such as Savoy, trimmed and shredded
- 200g/7oz frozen peas
- salt and ground black pepper
For the gravy
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 450ml/16fl oz hot beef or pork stock, made with 1 stock cube
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place the pork on a board, fat-side down and snip off the trussing string. Your meat should unroll into a large rectangle piece. If it doesn’t, cut horizontally through the thickest part with a knife and open the pork up like a book. Season on all sides with salt and pepper.
Put the potatoes in a large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of the oil, a little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Scatter over a large roasting tin. Place the pork in the same roasting tin, fat-side up, nestling in between the potatoes in its flatter, longer shape (not all the pork will have fat or rind once opened out, but this is fine). Roast for 20 minutes.
Put the carrots and parsnips in the same bowl that was used to toss the potatoes, drizzle with the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and toss well together. Scatter over another baking tray.
After 20 minutes, turn the potatoes. Return the tray to the oven and add the tray with the carrots and parsnips a couple of rungs below it to allow the hot air to circulate.
Cook for a further 30–40 minutes or until the pork is cooked and the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. The pork is cooked when it is hot throughout and the juices run clear when it is pierced with a skewer through the thickest part. The time taken to cook the pork will depend on weight and shape.
Transfer the pork to a large board or platter. Cover with kitchen foil and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes. Add the potatoes to the tray with the vegetables, reserving the pork juices, turn off the oven and keep warm.
Spoon off all but one tablespoon of the juices from the pork roasting tin and stir in the flour, followed by around a third of the stock. Mix well, lifting as much of the tasty sediment as possible from the base of the tin as it will add lots of flavour to your gravy.
Transfer to a saucepan, add the remaining stock then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then strain through a sieve into a warmed gravy jug.
While the gravy is simmering, put the cabbage and peas into a large wide-based microwave-proof dish, cover and cook on high for 5–7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring after 3 minutes. (You can also boil the cabbage and peas together in a large saucepan until tender, then drain.)
Carve the pork thinly and serve with the vegetables and gravy.
Recipe Tips
Resting the pork after roasting is important as it will help relax the meat and make it more succulent. Make sure you carve it thinly too, as it will go further and be more tender.
In weekly budget for the meal plan for six, there's enough money to buy a packet of ready-made Yorkshire puddings to add to this meal. Reheat in the oven while the pork is resting.
If your carrots and parsnips are large rather than medium, cut into quarters lengthways instead of halves. And if they are small, you can leave them whole or start cooking 15 minutes later than the pork and potatoes. If your family aren’t keen parsnip eaters, you can add extra potatoes instead.
The quick cooking time will mean you won’t achieve any crispy crackling on the pork, but you can remove it before the pork rests and grill for a few minutes instead, if you like.
If you already have gravy granules in your cupboard, you could add a couple of tablespoons to the gravy to give it a deeper colour and richer flavour.
If your pork is larger than recommended, you can either cook it for longer or cut some off before roasting, wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 4 months. Use for stir fries or slow-cooker pulled pork dishes.
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