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Meats | |
| ■1 tablespoon cumin seeds ■1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns ■6 garlic cloves, smashed ■1 tablespoon dried oregano ■1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne ■2/3 cup fresh orange juice ■1/3 cup fresh lime juice ■2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ■1 bone-in, skin-on pork picnic shoulder (about 7 pounds) | |
| 1. Make the spice rub and marinade. Place the cumin seeds in a small skillet and heat over medium-low heat until lightly toasted about 2 minutes. Let cool. Combine the cumin and peppercorns in a spice grinder or a mortar and grind coarsely. Add the garlic, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Grind again to form a rough paste. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, and oil. Set this aside as well. 2. Score the rind and marinate the pork (as shown on page 237). Using a box cutter, utility knife, or other razor-sharp knife, firmly (but carefully) score the rind in parallel lines 1/3- to 1/2-inch apart. Score deep into the fat (about 1/2-inch deep), but avoid cutting into the meat. Turn the roast and score the rind on the bottom and sides as well. Using a sharp paring knife, poke several holes in the cut side of the pork (the side with no skin). Rub the entire surface of the roast with the spice paste, doing your best to get some of the paste into the incisions in the skin. If you have a plastic bag large enough to hold the pork, place it in one (Reynolds large oven bags work well). Otherwise, place the pork in a deep bowl just large enough to hold it. Pour the marinade over the roast and massage it to coat it evenly. Place the bag in a baking dish or large bowl in case it leaks, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, turning occasionally to redistribute the marinade. Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and let it sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours before roasting; this dries the skin to help it crisp in the oven. 3 Heat the oven. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 450 degrees (425 degrees convection). 4. Roast the pork. Set the roast skin side up on a rack set in a sturdy roasting pan (14 by 12 inches works well). Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees (225 degrees convection). Combine the reserved marinade with 1/2 cup cool water and pour this over the meat. Continue roasting, basting every 2 to 2 1/2 hours with the drippings until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the shank bone, 8 to 9 hours. If at any time the liquid evaporates, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan. If after 5 hours you notice that the underside is not browning, flip the meat and let it roast skin side down for a few hours before righting it. It should finish roasting right side up. 5. Test for doneness. The best doneness test is to insert a meat fork into the wide end of the roast and gently pull. If a chunk of meat pulls away easily, the roast is done. Be careful not to tear the meat from the roast; just tug it to get a feel. Also, check to see that the meat at the shank end of the roast has contracted, leaving the bone exposed some. If you're unsure, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer; you're looking for something in the 175- to 185-degree range. 6. Rest and carve. Let the pork rest, uncovered unless the kitchen is very cold, for about 30 minutes. Unless you have a very sharp knife, it's easiest to begin by carving off the rind. If you notice parts of the rind that are soft and chewy, not crisp, cut them into smaller pieces and place them in a skillet or on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the skin in a 450-degree (425-degree convection) oven until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the pork and chop the rind into crackling bits to put on each plate. Spoon any juices that run from the meat over it as you carve. Method: Combination high and low heat Roasting time: 8 to 9 hours Plan ahead: The roast tastes best if marinated for at least 24 hours. | |
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