Have you heard about the food52 vs. Cook’s Illustrated “showdown”? Head over to Slate to learn more about the battle and weigh in on whose recipes you think are best. I’m pretty sure you can guess which camp I’m in…
This roast pork recipe was my entry into food52’s “best pork shoulder” contest. While it did not make it to the finals (had it won, you’d now be seeing it on Slate), it was designated as an “editor’s pick”.
I usually cook meats like this in a slow cooker, but here I used a low temperature oven and lots of liquid. This sauce is both sweet and spicy, just the way I like it, and it’s a pretty low maintenance recipe as you can leave it to cook overnight (or all day if that’s more convenient).
Recipe for Slow and Low Roast Pork with Ginger Sriracha Barbeque Sauce
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
* 5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder (use pastured, organic pork, if possible)
* 2 tablespoons raw sugar
* 2 tablespoons course sea salt
* 12 ounces bottle of natural ginger beer/ale
* 1 cup organic ketchup
* 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
* 1/2 cup brandy or bourbon
* 1/2 cup ketjap manis (dark and sweet Indonesian soy sauce)
* 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
* 3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
Preparation:
1. Place pork in a large bowl. Mix the salt and sugar together and rub all over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (except for the onions) and mix well.
3. Remove pork from the refrigerator. Have ready a dutch oven or other oven proof pot that will allow the sauce to cover at least half of the pork. I used an 8 qt. stockpot.
4. Place the sliced onions in the pot and put the pork shoulder on top. Pour in the sauce.
5. Place several pieces of foil on top of the pork, sealing in as much of the moisture as possible.
6. Cook for 10-12 hours, turning the pork several times during the process, if possible. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before slicing.
7. Serve slices of the pork with some of the sauce spooned over, and make sure to include some of the onions on the side.
