I read a version of this recipe years ago in one of the first River Cafe Cookbooks and have wanted to make it ever since. This winter we had a beautiful pork shoulder resting in the freezer just waiting for the proper time to become our dinner. The Canal House cooks love pork cooked this way and offered a rendition that was very close to my memory of the River Cafe version. We invited friends over to share this with us and they just loved it. It is the perfect dinner party recipe because you can relax and enjoy your guests.
SLOW-ROASTED BONELESS PORK SHOULDER
(serves 6 to 8)
- 1 six to seven pound boneless pork shoulder
- 1 handful fresh rosemary, parsley or other herb leaves, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon thinly sliced
Lay the meat on a clean work surface, fat side down. Season it with chopped herbs, garlic and plenty of salt and pepper. Arrange the slices of lemon on top. Gather the loose folds of the pork together to enclose the seasonings and make a nice neat package by trussing the roast shut with kitchen twine. Rub salt and pepper all over the roast. Cover the meat and refrigerate it for a few hours, or, for more flavor, overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the roast into an enameled cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the pot and slide it into the oven. Roast the pork (resisting the urge to check on it as it cooks) until it is fully tender and a lot of the juices have accumulated in the pot, about 8 hours. Remove the lid and continue cooking the roast until it is golden brown on top and the juices have reduced a bit, 30-60 minutes.
Let the roast rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with the juices.
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