SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER WITH PICKLED ONIONS

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pickled Onions image

Yield serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large fennel bulb, top removed, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 boneless pork shoulder (about 5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Pickled onions (page 235)

Steps:

Put a large skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel and onion. Cook and stir for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, combine the fennel seeds, coriander, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and cinnamon. Mash or buzz until you have a spice powder. Put the spice powder in a small bowl and mix in the salt and pepper.
Put the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, make small slits all over the surface of the meat. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, inside and out, being sure to get in the incisions. Lift up the top flap and spoon the fennel and onion mixture inside the pork.
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Pour in just enough water to film the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Slow-roast the pork for 2 hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and roast for another hour, until the meat is falling apart. Carefully transfer the pork to a serving platter, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve the pork with some pickled onions on top, and chow down!