Dry Brine the Pork

1. The night before cooking, pat the pork shoulder dry.
2. Rub it all over with kosher salt.
3. Place uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
4. This simple dry brine seasons the meat more deeply and helps develop a better exterior during roasting.

Prepare the Roast

1. Remove the pork from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before roasting.
2. Pat the surface dry.
3. Rub the roast all over with oil seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary.
4. Arrange the thick-cut onion slices in the bottom of a roasting pan.
5. Place the pork shoulder directly on top of the onions.

Roast the Pork

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Roast the pork uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
4. Cover the roasting pan tightly with a lid or foil.
5. Continue roasting for approximately 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and cooked through.
6. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and shape of the roast, so use temperature and tenderness as your guide rather than the clock alone. Target internal temperature: 190°F – 205°F

Finish with Maple

1. Remove the cover and brush the pork generously with maple syrup.
2. Increase temperature to 375°F. Return the roast to the oven uncovered.
3. Roast until the exterior is deeply browned and the maple has formed a firm, glossy crust.
4. Remove from the oven and let the pork rest for approximately 45 minutes before slicing.
5. Don’t skip the rest. This is a substantial piece of meat and needs time to settle before you carve it.

Make the Blackberry Pan Sauce

1. Remove the roast and onions from the roasting pan.
2. Pour off the pan drippings into a measuring cup or separator and remove the excess fat.
3. Return the flavourful drippings and cooked onions to a saucepan, thin with water or chicken stock if needed, blend lightly or mash onions a fork until smooth.
4. Add the blackberries, brandy and maple syrup.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for several minutes, allowing the berries to soften and the brandy to cook down.
6. If the sauce needs thickening, combine the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry.
7. Add the slurry gradually, stirring until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
8. Remove from the heat add the grainy mustard and stir well.
9. Finish with butter.
10. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.

Rustic or Silky?

1. The sauce consistancy is entirely up to you.
2. If blackberry seeds aren’t your thing, pass the finished sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently on the berries to extract all that flavour.