Italian Pulled Pork ~ Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450◦F. Gather and prep all ingredients as noted above, including prepping and trimming the pork.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)

Step 2

Make a dry rub by combining the first 10 ingredients together in a bowl until well-combined. This can be done several days in advance and held in an airtight container at room temperature.

Step 3

Combine the dry rub spice mixture with chopped fresh rosemary, minced garlic and olive oil. Then, rub this mixture thoroughly all over the pork, coating as much surface as possible for maximum flavor. (If you have extra, just sprinkle it over the onions.)

Step 4

Arrange sliced onions on the bottom of an oil-rubbed roasting pan, then place rubbed pork pieces on top of the onions.

Step 5

Roast the pork uncovered at a high heat (450◦F) for about 30 minutes to brown its surface. Turn the pork pieces over and continue to roast them uncovered for another 30 minutes to brown the other side.

Step 6

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and turn the pork pieces over again. Pour the white wine into the pan, then cover it securely with aluminum foil. Reduce the heat to 325◦F and return the covered pan to the oven.

Step 7

After about 90 minutes, check the texture of the pork and assess its doneness. It should be fork tender and fall apart easily when picked up with tongs or a fork. If it is not quite there yet, return the pork to the oven and continue checking it every 30 minutes until it is fork tender. (Note: If you feel like the pork needs a bit more browning or caramelization at the end, turn the heat back up to 450°F and continue to roast it, uncovered, until it browns to your liking, checking it at 15 minute intervals.)

Step 8

Once the pork is done, remove pan from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Step 9

While pork is still warm, break it down into smaller chunks using two forks, if desired, and mix it with the onions.There will be quite a bit of fatty liquid left in the roasting pan as a result of the cooking process. If you strain the pork and onions and segregate the liquid, you could pour it into a fat separator, then serve it alongside the pork.Alternatively, if you will be serving the pork on a different day, you could refrigerate the liquid in order to solidify the fat, skim it off, then heat it and serve it with the pork. Or, enjoy it as is! Buon Appetito!