At just $6 per serve, this all-in-one roast is the ultimate budget friendly Christmas main. Drying out the skin is the trick to getting super crispy crackling and slow cooking this cut ensures perfectly tender, moist meat. With golden potatoes and a Christmas flavor hit from the fennel and lemon, this dish pairs perfectly with a fresh green bean and fennel salad.

• 1.8-2kg boneless pork shoulder roast
• 1.5kg red rascal potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 red onion
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
• 3 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
• 5 garlic cloves, halved if large
• 80ml (1 ⁄3 cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle
• 200g green beans, halved lengthways
• 1 fennel bulb

• Step 1
  Place pork in a roasting pan. Use a sharp knife to score skin in a diamond pattern. Pat dry with paper towel. Place, uncovered, in fridge for 2 hours or overnight to dry out skin.
• Step 2
  Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water. Use a mandoline or very sharp knife to thinly slice potatoes and onion. Transfer to the bowl of water to soak.
• Step 3
  Place salt and fennel seeds in a mortar. Pound with a pestle until coarsely crushed.
• Step 4
  Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan forced. Spray a large roasting pan with olive oil. Drain the potato and onion slices. Reserve 2 teaspoonfuls of fennel salt. Layer the potato, onion and lemon rind in prepared pan, seasoning with the remaining fennel salt between the layers. Scatter over the garlic then top with pork, skin-side up. Drizzle over oil then rub into the skin. Rub the reserved fennel salt all over pork and into scored rind.
• Step 5
  Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the rind crackles. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan forced. Cover the pan loosely with foil and roast for a further 3 hours. Remove foil and roast for a further 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and cooked through. Set aside for 20 minutes to rest.
• Step 6
  While the pork rests, cook the beans in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain. Transfer to a serving bowl. Use a mandoline or very sharp knife to thinly slice the fennel then place in the bowl. Reserve fronds. Drizzle over extra oil and lemon juice. Season. Toss then top with reserved fennel fronds.

• Step 7
  Serve the roast pork with the fennel and green bean salad.