By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 6
858 cal · 255 min
Pork-Fennel-Apple Roast
Recipe GLPRc2d23a586b4300
A Mediterranean-inspired roasted pork shoulder with caramelized fennel and apples, seasoned with garlic, sage, and lemon. The pork becomes tender and succulent while the vegetables soften and develop a subtle sweetness. Served with fresh watercress for a nutritious, complete meal.
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Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried sage
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
3 medium fennel bulbs (about 1½ pounds), trimmed and cut into wedges through the core
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
1 large bunch watercress, trimmed (6 cups lightly packed)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped garlic, dried sage, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to create a paste.
Pat the 4-pound pork shoulder roast dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make several shallow cuts (about ¼ inch deep) across the surface of the roast in a crosshatch pattern. Rub the garlic-sage paste all over the roast, working it into the cuts and covering all sides evenly. Season the entire roast with additional kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, carefully place the seasoned pork roast in the skillet. Sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until a golden-brown crust forms. This will take approximately 12-16 minutes total.
Remove the skillet from heat. Arrange the fennel wedges around the pork roast. Cut each peeled and cored Granny Smith apple into quarters and nestle them among the fennel. Drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the vegetables and roast.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated 425°F oven. Roast uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the pork reaches 145°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. The vegetables should be tender and beginning to caramelize.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Slice the pork into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced pork on a serving platter and surround with the roasted fennel wedges and apples. Pour any pan juices over the top.
Serve the pork and vegetables with fresh watercress and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the dish.
Comments
This is a straightforward roast with ingredients available at any major Charlotte chain—pork shoulder, fennel, apples, and watercress are all standard stock items at Harris Teeter, Kroger, or Food Lion, with no special trips required. The stated time of 255 minutes (four hours fifteen minutes) is honest for a shoulder roast of this size, though it front-loads a lot of passive oven time; a weeknight cook might find it better suited to a weekend. The cost per serving runs moderate, driven mainly by the pork shoulder itself, which is economical protein; everything else is budget-friendly. It's a solid family dish that reheats well and fits seasonal eating in the Carolinas, where fall apples and pork are natural partners, though there's nothing here that makes it memorable enough to stand out from dozens of other sheet-pan roasts.
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