Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (192 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When we think of a pork roast, the first thing that comes to mind these days is pork loin. It may be lean, but it typically needs a serious flavor boost. We wanted to explore the glories of old-fashioned, more flavorful (read: less lean) pork. One such cut is the shoulder roast. It may take longer to cook, but it’s also inexpensive, loaded with flavorful intramuscular fat, and boasts a thick fat cap that renders to a bronze, baconlike crust. We started by rubbing the roast’s exterior with brown sugar and salt, then left it to rest overnight. The sugar dried out the exterior and boosted browning. Elevating the pork shoulder on a V-rack and pouring water in the roasting pan kept the pork’s drippings from burning as it roasted. It also created a significant jus with no burning. Finally, a fruity sauce with sweet and sour elements cut the pork shoulder’s richness.
SERVES 8 TO 12
Add more water to the roasting pan as necessary during the last hours of cooking to prevent the fond from burning. Serve the pork with the accompanying peach sauce or with cherry sauce or a sweet-tart chutney (recipes follow).
PORK ROAST
1 | (6- to 8-pound) bone-in pork butt roast |
¹⁄ | cup kosher salt |
¹⁄ | cup packed light brown sugar |
Pepper |
PEACH SAUCE
10 | ounces frozen peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks, or 2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | cups dry white wine |
¹⁄ | cup granulated sugar |
¹⁄ | cup plus 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar |
2 | sprigs fresh thyme |
1 | tablespoon whole grain mustard |
1. FOR THE PORK ROAST:
Using sharp knife, cut slits 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern in fat cap of roast, being careful not to cut into meat. Combine salt and brown sugar in bowl. Rub salt mixture over entire pork shoulder and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic wrap, place on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
2.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap roast and brush any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper. Set V-rack in large roasting pan, spray with vegetable oil spray, and place roast on rack. Add 1 quart water to roasting pan.
3.
Cook roast, basting twice during cooking, until meat is extremely tender and roast near (but not touching) bone registers 190 degrees, 5 to 6 hours. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for 1 hour. Transfer liquid in roasting pan to fat separator and let stand for 5 minutes. Pour off ¹⁄
4
cup jus and set aside; discard fat and reserve remaining jus for another use.
4. FOR THE SAUCE:
Bring peaches, wine, sugar, ¹⁄
4
cup vinegar, ¹⁄
4
cup defatted jus, and thyme sprigs to simmer in small saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and mustard. Remove thyme sprigs, cover, and keep warm.
5.
Using sharp paring knife, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean kitchen towel to grasp bone). Using serrated knife, slice roast. Serve, passing sauce separately.
Substitute 10 ounces fresh or frozen pitted cherries for peaches, red wine for white wine, and red wine vinegar for rice vinegar, and add ¹⁄
4
cup ruby port along with defatted jus. Increase granulated sugar to ³⁄
4
cup, omit thyme sprigs and mustard, and reduce mixture to 1¹⁄
2
cups.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER
1 | tablespoon olive oil |
1 | large fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
2 | Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and cut in ¹⁄ |
1 | cup rice vinegar |
³⁄ | cup sugar |
2 | teaspoons grated lemon zest |
1 | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add fennel and onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add apples, vinegar, sugar, zest, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Serve with pork.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER
1 | tablespoon olive oil |
1 | red onion, chopped fine |
4 | red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | cup white wine vinegar |
¹⁄ | cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar |
2 | garlic cloves, peeled and smashed |
1 | (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled, sliced into thin coins, and smashed |
1 | teaspoon yellow mustard seeds |
1 | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add peppers, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Serve with pork.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER
2 | pounds green tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces |
³⁄ | cup sugar |
³⁄ | cup distilled white vinegar |
1 | teaspoon coriander seeds |
1 | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
2 | teaspoons lemon juice |
Bring tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, coriander seeds, salt, and pepper flakes to simmer in medium saucepan. Cook until thickened, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Stir in lemon juice just before serving with pork.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When we have a hankering for pulled pork, we typically head outside to the grill to create smoky-tasting barbecue. But here in New England, the long winter months are no time to be outdoors tending a grill. We wanted to bring pulled pork indoors—without sacrificing tender, shreddable meat, deep smoke flavor, and a dark, richly seasoned crust. We found that cooking pulled pork indoors requires a dual cooking method to keep the meat moist inside while developing a flavorful outer crust. Cooking the meat covered for part of the time kept it moist, while uncovering it for the remainder of the time allowed a substantial crust to form. For smoky barbecue flavor, we found that liquid smoke, which we used both in the brine and rubbed on the meat, did the trick. And of course pulled pork wouldn’t be complete without a sauce—we developed three authentically regional ones, all of which add moisture and flavor to the meat.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Boneless pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. If the pork is enhanced (injected with a salt solution), do not brine in step 1.
Sweet paprika may be substituted for the smoked paprika. Covering the pork with parchment and then foil prevents the acidic mustard from eating holes in the foil. Serve the pork on hamburger rolls with pickle chips and thinly sliced onion. Lexington Vinegar Barbecue Sauce or South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce (recipes follow) can be substituted for the Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce. Alternatively, use 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce thinned with ¹⁄
2
cup of the defatted pork cooking liquid in step 5.
PORK
Salt and pepper | |
6 | tablespoons sugar |
3 | tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons liquid smoke |
1 | (5-pound) boneless pork butt roast, cut in half horizontally |
¹⁄ | cup yellow mustard |
2 | tablespoons smoked paprika |
1 | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
SWEET AND TANGY BARBECUE SAUCE
1¹⁄ | cups ketchup |
¹⁄ | cup light or mild molasses |
2 | tablespoons Worcestershire sauce |
1 | tablespoon hot sauce |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1. FOR THE PORK:
Dissolve ¹⁄
4
cup salt, ¹⁄
4
cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons liquid smoke in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge pork in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1¹⁄
2
to 2 hours.
2.
While pork brines, combine mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons liquid smoke in bowl; set aside. Combine 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, paprika, and cayenne in second bowl; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
3.
Remove pork from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub mustard mixture over entire surface of each piece of pork. Sprinkle entire surface of each piece with spice mixture. Place pork on wire rack set in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Place piece of parchment paper over pork, then cover with sheet of aluminum foil, sealing edges to prevent moisture from escaping. Roast pork for 3 hours.
4.
Remove pork from oven; remove and discard foil and parchment. Carefully pour off liquid in bottom of baking sheet into fat separator and reserve for sauce. Return pork to oven and cook, uncovered, until well browned and tender and internal temperature registers 200 degrees, about 1¹⁄
2
hours. Transfer pork to serving dish, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. FOR THE SAUCE:
While pork rests, pour ¹⁄
2
cup defatted cooking liquid from fat separator into medium bowl; whisk in sauce ingredients.
6. TO SERVE:
Using 2 forks, shred pork into bite-size pieces. (Shredded and sauced pork can be cooled, tightly covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.) Toss with 1 cup sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
