jediah's grilled pork shoulder. with rosemary, garlic, & fennel seeds.

18 August 2013

Sundays are reprieve from the bustle of the busy workweek & Saturday's social catch-ups. It is a day to do something for yourself, take a deep breath, & let the worries & anxieties that weigh on our lives lift to enjoy the moment. This weekend, Jediah has prepared a beautiful pork shoulder recipe that exemplifies the leisure & comfort of a Sunday afternoon. There are few steps to this recipe, but it is really quite simple, most of the time is the pork cooking on its own. This can be served with grilled, seasonal vegetables, with a cauliflower mash, or whatever your favorite summer side dish may be. So, whether you enjoy the tradition of going to church, catching up on much needed rest, exploring the great outdoors, or sharing a family dinner--happy Sunday!

grilled pork shoulder with rosemary, garlic, & fennel seeds.

serves 4

Inspired by Jamie Oliver's Maiale alla griglia e arrosto

3 lb. of the best quality pork shoulder you can get your hands on

extra virgin olive oil

8 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 TBl red wine vinegar

2 TBL chili flakes

2 TBL fennel seeds

3 sprigs of rosemary, 1 with the leaves picked- 2 leave whole

Maldon sea salt & cracked pepper to taste

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1. Bring the pork shoulder to room temperature, place it in a large roasting pan to apply the rub, thoroughly rub it with a drizzle of olive oil, & season both sides with salt & pepper.
2. To make the rub: Put 2 cloves of garlic, vinegar, chili flakes, fennel seeds, & the leaves of the 1 rosemary sprig in a food processor, blender, or spice grinder- blitz until fine.
3. Again, thoroughly massage the spices into both sides of the pork. Place the six garlic cloves & two whole rosemary sprigs in the center of the pork, roll it up & tie it secure at each end (see the top picture) with kitchen twine. At this point you can marinate the meat for 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. When you are ready cook, make sure the pork has been set out an hour before to come up to room temperature. Preheat the grill to 300 degrees F & prepare a dutch oven or a cast iron pan. 
5. Place the pork directly on the grill & sear each side of it, about 4 minutes per side, until the outside has grill marks (see the third picture). Then pour the wine & stock into the bottom of your pan, put the pork in, place it on the grill, & cover with a lid or secure a piece of tinfoil over your pan. Cook for about 2-21/2 hours. Flipping once half way through. A meat thermometer should reach 145 degrees. 
6. Take the meat out of the pan, let it rest about 20 minutes before slicing & discarding the twine, as the meat with continue cook a bit & this will also lock in the moist juices.

❂ A few notes: Jediah used my Le Creuset dutch oven for this application, but the grill does leave a certain worn look to the pan. If this is an issue, you can recreate this meal on the stove top by searing the pork in the dutch oven, adding the liquid, covering, & placing in a 300 degree oven. Just flow the steps & adjust for stove top & roasting.

happy eatings & cheers!