The shoulder is a cut that comes from the top of the pig's foreleg. It is usually cooked over low heat to create a tender and juicy dish, with the meat "coming off the bone". Regardless of which method you choose, this highly versatile part of the pork can be served as a main dish, made into strips to stuff sandwiches, or taken to a backyard barbecue. Read on to learn how to cook pork shoulder.
Ingrediants
- Pork shoulder, one kilogram is enough for 2-3 people.
- Olive oil (for the grill and pan method)
- Salt, pepper and other flavorings
Spice Mix Example
- 25 g of paprika
- 25 g of chili powder
- 50 g of brown sugar
- 25 g of salt
- 2 tablespoons of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
Marinade example
- 120 ml of apple juice
- 120 ml of water
- 50 g of brown sugar
- 25 g of salt
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Roast
It's hard to go wrong with the classic roast. This cooking method produces a delicious, juicy and steaming piece of meat that is cut with great satisfaction. All you need is an oven and a baking dish with a high temperature resistant metal grill.
Step 1. Let the meat rest
Pork should be nearly room temperature before cooking. If you have kept it in the fridge, place it on the kitchen counter for about half an hour; if you have frozen it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C
While you are waiting for the meat to reach room temperature, it is a good idea to heat the oven (especially if you intend to cook the pork over a low heat). If you have thawed meat, wait until it has completely thawed before turning on the oven.
Step 3. Place the pork shoulder on the grill pan
These ovenproof dishes with an internal grill allow the meat to remain raised and not cook in its own juices which, instead, drip on the bottom. At the end you can decide whether to throw the cooking juices or use them for a gravy sauce.
Put the pork on the grill with the fat side up. In this way, as the meat cooks, the fat melts and drips along the surface of the pork leaving it tender and moist
Step 4. Score the meat
Use a sharp knife and make cross cuts on the surface. This step has several uses: it helps the fat to run down the meat and allows the aromas to penetrate deeper.
Step 5. Coat the meat with your favorite seasoning, marinade or spice mix
Try to be generous in terms of flavorings, most of the flavor of this dish comes from the tasty crust that surrounds the meat and that is generated thanks to the seasonings. There are an infinite number of spice mixes that are suitable for pork. Some are available pre-made, others can be mixed at home.
- If in doubt, rub salt, pepper, garlic, and some herbs (such as thyme and coriander) on the meat. If the spices do not stick to the meat, grease it first with a light layer of olive oil.
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If you decide to marinate pork, you need to soak it in a solution of oil and one or more acidic ingredients and flavorings. The acid "cuts" the preponderance of the oil, gives it flavor and prevents the final dish from becoming too greasy. Let the meat sit in the marinade for at least 4 hours or even more than a day.
Consider using the recipes for spices and marinade that have been suggested in the "Ingredients" section
Step 6. The roast pork must cook for about 1 hour for every half kilo of weight
The result is better if a low temperature and longer cooking times are used. Do not cover the dish with the lid. You can reduce the heat if you have the impression that it is cooking too quickly; many recipes indicate that 160 ° C is the best temperature.
As a general rule, the meat is ready when the skin is crisp and the core temperature is 70-85 ° C. The bone should "move" easily from the meat as if it were about to detach
Step 7. Let the roast rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting it
Like many other cuts of meat, pork needs to rest as soon as it is taken out of the oven, so that it continues to cook and at the same time the muscle fibers reabsorb the liquids.
After some rest, cut your delicious roast
Method 2 of 3: In the Slow Cooker
There is nothing more tender and juicy than slow-cooked pork that melts in your mouth. Pork cooked according to this technique becomes tender and juicy and can be shredded with just forks. In fact, many recipes for pork strips require the use of a slow cooker. For this preparation you only need this appliance.
Step 1. Wait for the meat to reach room temperature
As mentioned earlier, take the pork shoulder out of the freezer or refrigerator and wait for it to warm up naturally. If you have frozen it, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Step 2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat
When the meat has warmed up, put a saucepan on the stove. When it becomes hot enough to sizzle a few drops of water, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
Step 3. Brown the pork shoulder
Add the meat to the pan and cook over high heat on all sides (this will take several minutes per side). Slow cookers use moist heat to cook meat and do not allow the formation of the tasty "crust", so it is necessary to brown the outside in advance.
Step 4. Add the herbs and / or vegetables to the slow cooker
A good cut of meat is always delicious, but if you want to braise the pork shoulder to perfection, you don't have to leave it alone in the pot. Vegetables and flavorings add flavor to the meat (and vice versa) and increase the taste complexity of the final dish. In addition, low-temperature stewed vegetables are an excellent side dish for pork.
- Add any vegetables you like. Chopped onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes are fine.
- The aromas also depend on your personal taste. For lovers of Latin flavors you can add cumin, garlic powder and pepper; if you prefer a more Mediterranean flavor try rosemary, sage and thyme.
Step 5. Coat the meat and other ingredients with a liquid of your choice
Put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker with the vegetables, sprinkle everything with the spices and then cover half or 3/4 of the contents with a liquid. You can use water, unsweetened apple juice, beer, or, much more simply, broth. Make your choice based on your tastes and what best matches all the other ingredients, there is no "right" answer. Feel free to experiment!
- For example, if you are making strips to fill tortillas, you can add Mexican beer for a more complex flavor.
- Also, when choosing simmering liquids, remember that leftovers can be used to make gravy or gravy to serve meat with.
Step 6. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours
Put the lid on the appliance and turn it on to start the cooking process. The slow cooker allows great freedom in terms of cooking times, but generally you have to calculate two hours for every half a kilo of meat. Check the shoulder often and add more liquid as needed.
The meat is cooked when it is very tender and separates without much effort
Step 7. If you need to cook shredded, use two forks to chop the pork
Most recipes that require slow cooking involve preparing dishes in which the meat is presented in small pieces, such as Mexican carnitas. To do this, remove the lid from the slow cooker when the meat is cooked and with two forks (or kitchen tongs) chop it up. Continue like this until you reach the desired consistency.
Method 3 of 3: Grilled
For summer feasts, when friends and family get together, a pork roast on the barbecue is the king of lunch. The scent (and sound) of the meat sizzling on the hot grill is a wonderful experience for pork lovers. For this method you can use a gas barbecue or the classic charcoal (you will need a lot).
Step 1. Bring the meat to room temperature and season it as you like
As previously mentioned, the pork shoulder must gradually reach room temperature. Then rub in a generous amount of the spice of your choice. These will turn into a delicious tasty crust at the end of cooking.
You have many options to choose from when it comes to spices. For example, if you want a US-style barbecue, you can use a mixture of white and brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cumin
Step 2. Score the meat with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern
As mentioned earlier, this allows both the aromas and the heat to penetrate deep into the muscle fibers.
Step 3. Preheat the grill over medium-high heat
Regardless of your type of barbecue, you need to be able to cook the meat at a constant temperature of around 110 ° C. A barbecue thermometer will help you keep track of this value. Keep the grill lid closed to speed up the process. Grease the grill with olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking.
If you have a gas barbecue, it is not difficult to maintain a medium-high heat. If you use charcoal instead, there are more problems. Light the charcoal and wait for the flames to go out leaving hot embers before adding the pork. The charcoal is ready when it is completely gray and emits red-orange glows
Step 4. Place a tray full of water on the grill
This way you regulate the internal temperature and prevent the pork from drying out. Use a heat-resistant tray or dish if you have enough space. If you have a barbecue with two grills placed on different levels, the right place for the water dish is the top shelf.
Step 5. Cook for about 90 minutes for every 1 pound of meat
After placing the pork on the grill, close the lid of the barbecue; check the cooking from time to time. When the pork shoulder is ready it has a crispy crust on the outside, a tender consistency and an internal temperature of 70 ° C.
Since this piece of meat takes a long time to cook, it makes sense to start preparing it already in the morning so that it is ready for lunch
Step 6. Wait for it to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting it
As with the methods described above, grilled meat needs to "relax" away from the heat source after the stress of cooking. But remember to protect it from insects, dust and other unwanted elements.
Step 7. For a smoky flavor, add bits of wood
The rich smoke flavor, which many barbecue lovers seek, can be achieved with special devices, but even a home grill can achieve the same result without too much effort. The night before cooking, dip a handful of wood chips (walnut, oak, and apple trees are great) in water. Place this wet wood directly on the embers or gas barbecue burner. As the wood produces smoke and burns during cooking, the pork absorbs all of its fragrance.
Alternatively, learn how to smoke pork shoulder with a special machine by reading this article
Step 8. Finished
Advice
- Leave the meat to marinate overnight in the refrigerator if you want to give it more flavor.
- Brine the meat before cooking it if you want it to be very juicy.
