A great pork roast starts with good pork—pasture-raised heritage-breed pork. Brining it first makes your job even easier. It seasons inside and out, and all it needs is that good roast. Serve with roast gem potatoes (roasted ahead and reheated with the pork) and your choice of greens—we prefer those bitter, slightly peppery greens like mustard or turnip greens, simply sautéed with maybe a few slivers of garlic.
Ingredients
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 2—3 whole star anise
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 5—7 cloves garlic, crushed
- Small handful fresh thyme sprigs
- ½ orange or small mandarin
- ½ tablespoon cracked peppercorns
- 4½—5 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 carrot, 1 celery rib, ½ onion, all diced (for roasting)
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
Do ahead:
Put 2 quarts water in a pan and add kosher salt, star anise, teaspoon fennel seeds, onion, garlic, thyme, citrus (squeeze to release the juices but add peel and all) and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil and remove from heat when salt is completely dissolved. Let cool completely.
Put pork shoulder in a bowl or container large enough to hold it covered completely in brine. Pour in the cooled brine, including all flavor ingredients, until pork is under. Close and transfer to the fridge to brine for 8—12 hours max.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Dry the pork shoulder completely (discard the brine) and rub with a little olive oil (no need to season further). Put carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf in a roasting pan, place pork shoulder on top of it. Roast in the hot oven for about 20 minutes, or until the fat on the outside is crisped up and bronzed. Lower temperature to 325°F and roast for about 4 hours. To check: Insert a metal skewer in the thickest part, hold for 10 counts and feel the metal. If it is hot to the touch, the meat is ready (or use a meat thermometer; it should read 185°F).
Remove the pork shoulder; leave to rest on a tray or board. Add ¼ cup red wine (optional) and a cup of water to the roasting pan, scrape to loosen all bits. Scrape everything into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, adding more water as needed. Set aside to cool completely. Skim off excess fat and strain through a sieve into another saucepan. Season to taste.
You can roast the pork ahead and simply reheat before serving. Keep it covered in the fridge and take it out an hour before you need it to go into the oven. To reheat, heat the oven to 350°F, put the pork roast in and reheat for 20—30 minutes.
About this recipe
Wine Pairings By Spec's
Pair with Pedernales GSM Melange 2017 ($22.69).
The Pedernales are a sixth-generation Texas family that produces world-class wines from the Texas Hill Country (Pedernales Cellars). This one is mainly a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah with a smidgeon of other Rhone varieties. Complex flavors of red cherries and wild red berries flow seamlessly into the palate with medium intensity. The mid palate offers notes of blueberry surrounded by hints of leather, smoke and wild flowers. The finish is balanced and long with whiffs of cocoa and cedar that tantalize the palate for a deliciously long time.
