This recipe came about after visiting a local tapas bar, trying their mini pork sliders - delicious - and then doing some research regarding the spices! Our pork shoulder is marinated and slow cooked to get mouthwateringly tender meat - we cooked this the first time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and it proved so popular that it's now a regular favourite!

Prep time: 10 min, plus chilling Cook time: 5 hrs 45 min, plus resting | Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the dry spice rub:

50g soft dark brown sugar
4 tbsp smoked hot paprika
3 tbsp flaked sea salt
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
2 tsp dried thyme

For the pork:

2 kg boneless pork shoulder
barbecue sauce, to serve (if you like barbecue sauce...a little bit of mayo goes well too!)
6 rolls of white bread

Method

1. For the dry spice rub: Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. For the pork: Place the meat in a shallow dish, score the flesh and rub all over with half the spice mix. Cover loosely with cling film. Leave in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours (I did mine the night before). Keep the remaining rub for later.

3. Take the pork out of the dish and rub with the remaining dry spice mix. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.

4. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting tin, skin side up. Pour 100ml water into the tin and cover the pork (and tin) with foil ensuring it makes a good seal. Put the pork in the oven and cook for 5 hours 45 mins. For crispy skin: remove the foil after 5 hours, turn the oven up to 200-220C for the last 45 minutes cooking time. (Keep checking the skin for crispness as sometimes it takes less time and sometimes more - depending on your oven.)

5. To serve: When the pork is cooked, transfer to a board, cover with a sheet of foil and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Pull into shreds with a couple of forks. Serve in the baps with barbecue sauce, or hot sauce, or salad, or couscous or coleslaw.