what do you bring to a vegetarian's birthday party? why, 14 pounds of slow roasted pork shoulder! it takes a truly selfless birthday boy to request a dish that the other 99% of his guests would devour. this is the recipe i turn to for feeding a crowd. it is easy and mostly hands-off. plus, it makes use of my favorite kitchen tool: time. after nearly seven hours in a low heat oven, this inexpensive, tough cut turns into some kind of masterpiece. the exterior is deeply red and just slightly crispy and the interior, well...melts.
seven hour pork shoulder*(serves eight. i doubled the recipe to serve 30 as carnitas)
* make sure you start this recipe up to two days--but at least one day--before you plan to serve it *
one 7 pound pork shoulder roast (it's also called pork butt)- ask your butcher to tie it
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons seasoning of your choice (i.e. chopped thyme or rosemary, or toasted, ground coriander and cumin seeds, or crushed chile de arbol)
2 sweet onions, sliced in 1/2 inch thick half moons
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium store bought)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
optional: baby carrots, peeled garlic cloves, parsnips, fingerling potatoes, or any other vegetable you'd like to roast
one or two days prior to when you plan to roast: mix the salt, pepper, and seasoning of your choice together in a small bowl. place the pork shoulder in a large roasting pan and rub the salt mixture over the entire roast, leaving the fat side up. cover with saran-wrap or foil and find a spot for it in the fridge.
on roasting day: remove the pork from the fridge and let it sit at room temp for one hour, uncovered. set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 275. roast for 5 hours. remove the pan from the oven and add the sliced onions and chicken stock to the pan. add any additional vegetables you have decided to roast to the pan. increase the oven temp to 300. roast for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until the pork shoulder easily yields when you pull at it with tongs. you can also poke it with a fork - it should be quite tender all over. don't be afraid to roast it longer...all shoulders are created differently!
let the pork sit for ten minutes before removing any butcher tie with scissors. remove the pork to a cutting board and the vegetables to a large platter. at this point, you can pull the pork into large or small chunks using tongs, discarding any sinew. smaller chunks are perfect for tacos, larger ones for individual servings.
pour or skim off the fat in the pan, reserving the juices. place the cornstarch in a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons of water, stirring with a fork to create a slurry. place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. continue whisking the juices until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
serve the pork and the roasted onions (and other vegetables) drizzled with the sauce.
notes:
* i've adapted this recipe from a similar one by Tasha DeSirio.
** there are countless ways to enjoy this pork. i pull it into smaller pieces as my version of carnitas, tossing just a bit of the sauce over the pork for extra flavor. you can also use the shoulder to make a ragu or pulled pork sandwiches.