This recipe came from one of the loveliest people I have ever met; influential in more ways than one. When hosting others for the first time in my 20s proved to be more challenging than expected, she saved the day (my life?) with this face melter:
"OK! this recipe is insane: very rustic, falloff bone texture, nicely caramelly, and VERY delish. Homespun but foodie...like what a Tuscan housewife would make :) Also I think you can figure out the timing nicely...maybe only two trottings home midday...? easiest recipe EVER."
xoxo
kr
Thank you, KR!
xo,
Nina
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Carrots, Onions and Garlic
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 6.75-7 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
3-5 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-wide sticks (2.5 inches long-ish)
10 cloves peeled garlic
1 cup dry white wine
Preparation
Combine 2 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl, and rub the mixture all over the pork. Put the pork, fat side up, in a large roasting pan (about 12 X 16 X 3 inches). Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, or up to 3 days.
Remove pork from fridge and let sit at room temp for 1 to 1.5 hours before cooking.
Position a rack in center of oven and heat oven to 300°. Uncover the pork, and roast until tender everywhere except the very center when pierced with fork, 4-4.5 hours. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, wine, and 1 cup water to roasting pan. Continue to roast, stirring vegetables occasionally, until pork is completely tender, about 1 hour more.
Remove from oven and raise oven temp to 375°. Using tongs, separate the pork into 8-10 large, rustic chunks and spread out in pan. If most of liquid has evaporated, add a splash more water to add more juice.
"it shouldn't be soupy: and I've always siphoned off juice at this point. you don't want soupy."
Return pork to oven and roast until nicely browned on the newly exposed surfaces, about 15 mins. Remove pan from oven, transfer meat and vegetables to serving platter, and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 20 mins. Skim fat from juices and serve them with the vegetables and meat.
"I served with garlicky mashed potatoes and a big fluffy green salad, maybe with blue cheese.
And a nice red wine.
ciao bella!"
Recipe serves 4 with leftovers or 8 without (perfect for 6!)