Pictorial: Cajun Roast!

(with tomato gravy, mash and broccoli)

roast ingredients

2 KG pork shoulder (4.4 LBS)
2 CUP pureed tomato sauce
4-5 X carrots
4-5 X celery stalks
4-5 X onions (sliced)
4-5 X garlic clovers (halfed)
4-5 TBSP spice mix (check below)
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP butter
3 TBSP oil

sides ingredients

1 X broccoli
8 X potato
3-5 TBSP milk
1 TBSP butter
1 TSP nutmeg

spice mix

2 parts onion powder
2 parts garlic powder
2 parts dried oregano leaves
2 parts dried sweet basil
1 parts dried thyme leaves
1 parts black pepper
1 parts white pepper
1 parts cayenne pepper
1 parts celery seed
5 parts sweet paprika

meet the meat



spoon some spice mix over the meet and start rubbing, store in the fridge over night



the next day, all the dry spice transformed into a moist spice coating



prep the celery stalks, garlic cloves, carrots and onions (save some) ... pre-heat oven at 150C/290F



heat cast iron pot, add oil+butter then gently roast onions and garlic



add the roast and seal the meat by lightly browning it



remove the prep'd meat and make a bed of carrots, celery stalks and onions,
fill the pot with enough beer to cover the veggies



return meat to pot



cover pot and place it in the pre-heated oven



after 30min



after 60min (check out the shrinkage)



after 90min (even more shrinkage, nicely browned, onions caramelized)



almost done, lower the heat a little and remove the cover, let the roast dry a bit



in the meantime peel potatoes and chop'em up



bring to boil and simmer until soft



discard water, lower heat, add butter, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg



mash until smooth, add milk if it's too lumpy



time to check out the finished roast



remove the meat from the pot and let it rest under tin foil,
remove the carrots and celery and chop'em up,
heat steamer and add broccoli, set timer to 5-7min



heat the pot and remaining broth on the stove, add pureed tomato sauce and
another spoon of the spice mix, season with salt, pepper and brown sugar,
then add the chopped carrots and celery



slice the roast



nice and juicy



serve roast slices with sauce, mash and steamed broccoli