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Last night, the Goat and I enjoyed what might have been the best roast pork I have ever eaten. It was also one of the easiest to prepare.
I can't take any of the creative credit for this one. Here is the recipe. For all you serious foodies out there, here is the science behind it.
You're basically looking at putting a pork shoulder (butt) in a 250 degree oven for eight hours, letting it rest, and then crisping it up in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes.
My tips:
-My roast was grocery-store-standard-issue and did not have the skin.
-I used a six-pound roast (the recipe calls for an eight- to 12-pounder) and left it in the oven for nine hours. It was perfect. Smaller roasts DO NOT mean shorter roasting times. (Not that I ever made that mistake and served up a chewy piece of shoe leather to my dearly beloved and offspring. No, not me. Ever. Nope.)
-I seasoned the roast with (of course) Lawry's Seasoned Salt.
Okay, pix:
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| Da pork after the long, slow roast |
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| Da pork after the high-heat crisping |
You can really see how the crisping transforms the crust. Now, HAD I pulled a few tasters off during the interim resting time, I would be able to verify that, while it was delicious after the slow roast, the final high-heat crisping took it to the next level.
Um ... yeah.
You'll just have to rely on the pix to see the difference that 20 minutes @500 degrees makes (it's huge).
I set that roast right on the table and the Goat and I pulled off chunks and dipped them in my homemade BBQ sauce. The result was utterly sublime--a delicate crispy crust connected to tender threads of pork. The crisped fat was unbelievably delicious and oh-so-rich.
Behold evil indulgence!
We pulled and munched our fill, and the two of us removed the rest of the meat from the bone for leftovers. And while the resulting pork sammies will no doubt be terrific tonight, that beautiful crust has to be enjoyed right after roasting. It's best qualities do not survive the refrigerator.
Anyhow, do this. Make some potato salad for a winter's eve picnic at the kitchen table. You will not be disappointed, although afterward you may be worthy of an ...
OINK.
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