Tom's Life Bits

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===== How to Cook Pork Shoulder =====
From the kitchen.com:\\
My pulled pork shoulder roast secret is out! However, my method of roasting takes even less effort, & BBQ aficionados will appreciate it wasn't stewed in a Crock Pot - every time I serve pulled pork at a party, someone asks if I pit BBQed the pork or bought it from a BBQ catering place.

Choose a roast that still has a layer of fat on top - ask for a roast from the back if everything in the case is already ultra-trimmed. A layer of fat is necessary so the meat can self-baste. Excess fat renders off and can be skimmed from the juice later. If the roast is cut too small and narrow, it won't sit upright with the fat on top, so choose a good sized roast that will sit upright - at least 3.5 to 4 pounds (any extra meat can be frozen in a zip or vacuum sealed bag for EZ meals later, so it's more efficient to cook a bigger roast than a smaller one anyway). With a sharp knife, cut through the fat layer just to the meat level, in a criss-cross diamond pattern - the cuts allow the melting fat to render and drip over the meat better.

Generously rub on very basic seasoning mixture onto all surfaces and into every nook and cranny of the roast - nothing fancy is needed - sea salt, black pepper, dried granulated garlic, granulated onion, sweet pimento (or maybe smoked), maybe a little sugar or brown sugar is enough - additional seasonings can be used later to give the pulled pork the flavor of a particular cuisine. Don't skimp on the dry rub, though - the seasoning on the surface will combine with the meat juices to form a flavorful crust that will be distributed throughout when the meat is pulled apart and and mixed up.

Pour a teaspoon or two of Wrights Hickory Liquid Smoke over roast top after seasoning with dry rub if a hint of smokey BBQ flavor is desired, but not too much! If using another brand of liquid smoke read labels - some are made with HFCS, caramel coloring, hydrolyzed soy and other nasties - Wrights is just water and hickory smoke concentrate).

Put the roast in a generously sized roasting pan (at least 3-4" sides) and into a 235°F oven for 8-16 hours (I usually put the meat in the oven in before I go to bed - roasting time is proportional to the size of the 3-8+ pound roast - don't rush it).

Don't go by temperature to determine doneness. The roast will reach "safe eating" temperature within just a few hours, but it will not be tender without hours of slow roasting to break down and melt the collagen into tender meat & rich, gelatinous broth. When the meat easily pulls apart with a fork (or the bone has separated from the meat and can be pulled right out of the roast), then it's done.

Take the roast out of the oven, let it rest under a piece of loose aluminum foil for at least 20 min. Then pull it apart into large chunks first, removing any unmelted connective bits and other undesirable parts that are between the major parts, then chop into smaller pieces or break the meat up further with fingers or two forks. Break up the browned, highly seasoned bits from the crust into small pieces and be sure to mix them evenly throughout the meat to distribute the extra-tasty bits.

Collect juices from the pan, skim off fat if desired (I save it for cooking), pour the broth juices back into meat to reach desired moisture level or serve on the side (save extra broth in the fridge for moistening leftover meat when reheating - it's VERY flavorful and full of minerals and gelatin so shouldn't be wasted). Taste to see if the meat needs additional salt & pepper, but it probably won't. Done.

Overnight slow roasted pork shoulder roast is my standard party meat for feeding a large crowd - pork shoulder is one of the most affordable meat cuts for feeding a crowd; it can be made a few days in advance (gallon zip bags make great space-saving containers in the freezer or fridge): and it reheats easily in a foil-covered pan in 300°F oven. Pulled pork is self-serve, and it's always popular.

Last year for a HS graduation party I made 10 full size shoulder roasts (7-8+ lbs each). It took 3 days & two ovens, cooking 2-4 roasts at a time (using doubled aluminum roasting pans), but so little supervision and actual hands-on time, especially considering the amount of finished meat produced. The pulled pork was stored in the fridge, compressed in gallon sized zip bags; reheated in a low oven in foil-covered disposable aluminum pans to be pulled out (ha!) as needed, with reserved broth diluted and mixed in for additional moisture. I try to avoid serving from a Crock Pot because it tends to "stew" the meat and make it too mushy and wet.

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