Slow Roast Pork Shoulder By John Besh Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S PAPER PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Mix salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.
• Sprinkle rub mixture evenly and thoroughly on each surface of the pork roast, pressing it onto the surface.
• Cut a 4-foot piece of unbleached parchment. Place roast at one end and roll roast tightly in the parchment. Cut a second piece of parchment and roll the roast, positioning it in the opposite direction before rolling.
• Cut a long piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and tightly wrap the parchment-wrapped roast. Wrap the roast in a second piece of foil, and then a third, rotating the position of the roast each time. Place wrapped roast in a roasting pan with folded edges facing up to minimize leaking.
• Place in preheated oven and roast until tender, about 12 1/2 hours (or 1.75 hours per pound of pork).
• Remove pan from oven and allow the wrapped roast to rest at least 1 hour before unwrapping. Brush roast with accumulated juices in the parchment paper.

CHEF JOHN'S GARLIC-STUDDED ROAST PORK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cut about 6 holes per side into pork roast with a sharp knife and insert garlic clove halves into the holes. Rub roast with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season all sides of roast with kosher salt and a generous amount of black pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Place into a roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Turn off the oven with roast inside and leave it to rest for 1 hour. Refrigerate meat overnight.
• Cut cold pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. If any garlic appears on the cut surface of the meat, pick it out so it doesn't burn. Season slices with salt.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat and sear pork slices in the hot oil until browned and crusty, about 10 minutes per side.
• Toss lettuce with tomatoes in a bowl and drizzle with red wine vinegar; toss again to coat.
• Heat beans in a saucepan over low heat. Layer about 1/3 cup white beans into a large, shallow soup plate; top beans with a slice of pork shoulder and about 1/4 cup lettuce mixture.

PORK GRILLADES AND GRITS

Steps:

• Lightly pound pork slices with a mallet. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, and then dust in flour. Heat oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven and brown pork on both sides, in batches, for about 2 minutes per side. After browning, reserve. When pork has all been browned, discard excess oil.
• Heat chicken fat or butter over medium heat in Dutch oven and slowly whisk in 3 cups flour to make a roux the consistency of wet sand. Brown roux, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes. Add onions, peppers, celery, garlic, Herbs de Provence, bay leaves and crushed tomatoes, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock and salt, stir, and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Return pork to Dutch oven and simmer over medium low heat for 2 hours, until meat is very tender.
• While pork is cooking, bring a gallon of water to boil in a large pot and whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes, whisking often to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to low and cook grits for 1 1/2 hours more, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, fold in butter, and season with salt.
• Season pork to taste and serve over grits.

SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• In a food processor, combine the peppercorns, garlic, and cloves and puree. While the motor is running, drizzle in the oil until a paste is formed. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the garlic paste into a small bowl.
• Place the pork butt on a work surface and season all over generously with salt. Rub all over with the garlic paste. Place in an oven-safe roasting bag and close with a twist tie. Place in a large roasting pan, and cook until tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove roast from the oven. Slip the oven-roasting bag off the meat and discard. Transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid with a ladle or de-greaser. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer to thicken the juices slightly.
• Raise the oven to 400 degrees F. Return the pork, in the roasting pan, to the oven. Continue roasting, basting frequently with the simmering cooking liquid, until well-browned, about 30 minutes. If there is any cooking liquid left, pour it over the pork.
• Remove pork from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. With the pork drippings you may make a vinegar sauce using this formula: for every 1/2 cup of drippings, whisk with 3 tablespoons vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Either carve the pork into thin slices, or, using 2 forks, pull into small pieces. Serve with the vinegar sauce on the side.