ITALIAN ROAST PORK

ITALIAN ROAST PORK image

Yield 4-6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

One 1 1/2- to 3-pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast
Salt
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, pressed dry between towels,
and barely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
About 12 fresh sage leaves, crushed, then coarsely chopped
(about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons, packed)
A leafy sprig or two of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and crushed
(about 2 teaspoons, packed)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, barely crushed
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
1 to 2 pounds prepared vegetables of your choice: chunks of peeled
carrot; onions cut into wedges; quartered fennel bulbs; chunks of peeled
celery root, turnips, rutabagas, or parsnips; unpeeled garlic cloves;
and/or chunks of potato
A little mild-tasting olive oil
About 2/3 cup Rich Pork Stock, chicken stock, or water
A few tablespoons of dry vermouth

Steps:

Prep (1-3 days in advance): Trim all but a 1/4-inch of fat from pork. Find the seams between muscles in meat. Use a knife to separate muscles along seam, exposing more seams to separate, to create openings to cake with seasonings. Salt all over (1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of meat). Combine capers, lemon zest, garlic, sage, rosemary, with most of fennel seeds and black pepper. Spread and pack mixture deep into insides of pork. Re-form pork into its natural shape and tie tightly into a uniform shape. Rub remaining fennel and pepper on outside of roast. Save loose herbs and seasonings in refrigerator. Cover pork loosely and refrigerate. Roasting porchetta (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours): Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss vegetables in a minimum of olive oil, barely coating surfaces. Add a few pinches of salt and toss again. Heat 12- or 14-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Place the pork roast in the pan; it should sizzle. Surround with vegetables. Place in oven. The roast should begin to color at 45 minutes; if not, turn heat up to 375 degrees until it does, then turn heat back down. At 1 hour, turn roast over and roll the vegetables in rendered fat. Turn roast again at 2 hours and add 1/3 cup of the stock or water. Add excess herbs and seasonings to pan juices and swirl the pan so they sink into liquid. Roast for another 15 to 30 minutes, to about 185 degrees F. Pork should be fragrant and golden. Transfer meat to platter, tent with foil, and leave in warm spot while you make the pan sauce. Place vegetables on a separate warm plate. Preparing pan sauce: Tilt skillet and spoon off fat. Add vermouth and remaining 1/3 cup stock or water and set over low heat. Scrape and stir to dissolve drippings in pan. Skim fat as liquid comes to a simmer. Add any juice from resting roast. Slice pork, removing strings as you go, and serve garnished with vegetables and a spoonful of rich pan sauce.