Ultra-Crisp Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

K

karennoca

Well-known member
Since we had Thanksgiving last Saturday, I planned something fun for Thanksgiving just for the two of us. I was going to get a pork shoulder and make Sally's pork and fennel slow cooked recipe. The fate happened.

We have a locally owned meat shop and grocery store about 7 minutes from my house. They make all the stuff in their deli section, including cutting and smoking their own bacon, sausages, pastrami, and so much more. Their cheeses are like a trip to Dean and Deluca.

I called and asked for a 6 pound, bone-in pork shoulder. An hour later I picked it up and almost fell out of my shoes. I have never seen such a beautiful piece of pork shoulder, with a big fat cap on top! I have read about the fat cap, dreamed about it but never seen any around here, until now. So my plans have changed.

I went into my Food Lab book by Kenji. His recipe calls for roasting in the oven at 250° for 8 hours for a 8 to 12 pounds on a wire rack on parchment paper. I figure mine will take less time.

Meat then rests for up to two hours. Put back into oven at 500° and roast for 20 minutes, turning rotating the pan every 5 minutes. This creates a glorious ski in all its crackling glory. I have never done, this, seen it done or eaten it.

Any tips, or suggestions, I should know about? I am serving with a potato, leek, dish with Fontina Cheese from The Pioneer Woman, and a fall salad which includes cabbage and apples.

 
Down "heah" that 'ere is called "BBQ" and we pull it into pieces, add some

spicy sauce, cole slaw, put it on a bun and slurp!!

I;ve never had to put it back in the oven to crisp--as I say in my recipe, after I cook it overnight at the low temp, you will have to slap your hands to keep from eating the crispy skin. And if you don't eat it before you chop it or pull it, it gets chopped fine so everyone gets a little bit. The crispy skin, in other parts of the country is called "burnt ends".
We serve it with slaw, maybe baked beans, I like pole beans (otherwise known as Italian beans). Lemon bars or brownies for dessert.
The sauce is tomatoey in western NC and vinegar and pepper in eastern NC. Mustard in SC.
What you have is classic Carolina BBQ. And we get the shoulders with good fat caps with no problem. ;o)

 
Oh that sounds lovely. I always use the Bavarian style of roasting pork...

to achieve the wonderful tender roast with the perfectly crisp exterior (basting with dark beer and then pan juices). But no matter the method, getting that tender inside/crisp crust result is a feast for sure.

Unfortunately, it is so hard to find a large roast with the skin side left on which makes an even better crispy crackling crust. I have one in the freezer and am planning the "Full Bavarian" for Christmas Eve dinner this year.

 
I ended up cooking (suggestion from Judy-mass) Michael Chiarello Forever Roasted Pork recipe.

It was excellent. I did not remove the fat cap and place onions, instead, I piled a lot of sliced onions and fennel under the rack and they cooked down to a wonderful, yummy goodness. The fat inside the roast at the edges and on top was all crispy. We sliced it and used the resulting juices to drizzle on top. Today, I will remove the congealed fat and pull the pork. I see a few pulled pork with crispy fat pieces and coleslaw sandwiches in my future!

I made the Pioneer Woman's potato, fennel, Fontina cheese and cream dish, and a fall salad with cabbage, apples, carrot, and dried cranberry. A sprinkle of green onions and pecans, with a red wine vinegar vinaigrette, and it was excellent.

 
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