Pork Shoulder

I want to share a method for braising pork shoulder that I adapted from Alice Waters recipe in The Art of Simple Food. I used to sear shoulders and then braise them. That is until I needed to cook about 100 pounds of pork for work and found this method much easier and just as delicious. Alice’s method involves cooking the shoulder in the oven uncovered in a pan with a small amount of liquid in the bottom and you flip the shoulder every hour so the top roasts in the dry heat, while the bottom braises in a rich liquid. I’ve adapted this recipe by using the initial dry heat roast to caramelize the vegetables and get a crust on the meat, then add the liquid and flip per Alice’s method, then I add a little more liquid, cover it and turn down the heat to let it properly braise (and let me forget about it) until it’s falling apart.

BASIC METHOD:

1 3# shoulder, generously rubbed with salt and pepper and a little olive oil

In a heavy bottom roasting pan that snuggly fits your shoulder, place:

2 onions, peeled and cut into large dice

1 carrot, peeled and cut into large dice (optional)

1 stalk celery, cut into large dice (optional)

1 head of garlic, cleaned cloves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Place the seasoned shoulder on top of the vegetables, fat side up.

Cook the shoulder for 25-30 minutes. Flip the shoulder and cook for another 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are browning and the shoulder has developed a crust. Flip the shoulder again so the fat side is up.

Add water or chicken broth until it comes ¼ of the way up the shoulder.

Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cover the pan tightly with foil.

Return to the oven and let cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours. The shoulder is made up of many muscles, but most of them should be tender enough to easily pull apart.

When the meat is tender enough, strain the cooking liquid and skim the fat. (This is easiest done when cold and fat is solid.) You can push the vegetables through a strainer and add them back to the cooking liquid to add more body.

VARIATIONS:

The above method is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, but there are so many ways you can adapt this recipe. You can add ground chili and oregano for something more Mexican. You can add pounded rosemary, fennel seed, thyme, garlic and olive oil paste for something more Italian. You can replace the onion, carrot and celery with green onions, ginger and arbol chilies and then replace the water with ⅓ c soy sauce, 1 ¾ c pineapple juice and ¾ c water for something somewhat Hawaiian. Shred the meat and mix it with sauteed shredded cabbage and skimmed braising liquid and serve it over rice.