Chipotle Pork

SERVES 8–10
• 3 tbsp hot smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 4 thyme sprigs, leaves finely chopped,
• stalks reserved
• olive oil
• 1 x 2kg–3kg (41⁄2 lb-61⁄2 lb) pork butt (front middle shoulder), bone in, rind removed (or any other large pork joint)
• 4 onions, peeled and quartered
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• white baps, to serve

FOR THE CHIPOTLE MAYO
300g (11oz) best-quality mayonnaise
• 1–2 tbsp chipotle paste (if unavailable, use 2 tsp smoked paprika)
• 1 tsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (optional)

❶ Mix the paprika, sugar, garlic and thyme leaves in a bowl. I use some of the chipotle paste here too. Season with salt and pepper, then add a little olive oil to create a paste. Remove fat layer from meat. Rub the mixture all over the pork, massaging it into the meat. While it’s fine to cook the pork at this point, you can also cover and chill it for up to 24 hours to absorb the spice rub.
❷ Preheat the oven to 140C/Gas 1. (I use gas 3)
❸ Put the onions into a roasting tin, sprinkle with the thyme stalks and place the pork, fattiest side up, on top. Roast for 1 hour, then cover with foil and cook for a further 4–5 hours, until the meat is really tender and falling off the bone. Make sure meat is tightly covered to keep it moist.
❹ Meanwhile, make the chipotle mayo. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix well. (I made a less spicy version as well with just a little paste in.)
❺ Once the pork is cooked, leave it covered loosely with foil and set aside to rest for up to 1 hour before pulling the meat away from the bone in chunks. Serve with the smoky mayo and baps alongside.