Slow-Cooked Pork Butt

I love slow-cooked pork, and this recipe is my go-to for pork shoulder (or butt). You'll need about 5 and a half hours to get it done. Not only do you get very flavorful fork-tender pork, but the sauce will keep you coming back for more.

Ingredients:

• 7 pound (ish) picnic pork shoulder
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 6 or 7 sprigs of fresh oregano (leaves only)
• 20 cloves (or so) of garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 pint of mirepoix (diced celery, onions, and carrots)
• 3 tbsp butter
• Sprinkle of Adobo powder
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup of heavy cream

Method:

Preheat the oven to 275 F. Pat the roast with paper towels so it's completely dry. coat thoroughly with olive oil and salt. In a food processor, combine garlic, oregano leaves and cumin seeds. Spread the paste evenly all over the roast, except for the fat cap, or the skin on the top of the roast. Place in a large oven bag (available at the grocery store near the aluminum foil) skin side up. Close the bag with a twist tie and place in a roasting pan with a rack, skin side up. Cook for 5 hours.

Place butter and mirepoix in a saucepan, and sauté on low for about 15 minutes, until translucent. Take the roast out the oven, and increase temp to 400 F. With scissors, cut off a bottom corner of the bag and drain the liquid into the saucepan over the mirepoix. Turn up heat to reduce for a total of 15 minutes during next steps.

Take the rack out of the roasting pan, take the roast out of the bag, and place it into the roasting pan. Carefully remove the top skin layer from the roast. Sprinkle some Adobo or other seasoning on top of the roast where the skin was. Salt and cumin powder will do in a pinch.

Return both the roast and the skin back to the oven at 400 F. If they both fit in the roasting pan, great. I use my toaster oven tray for the skin. Take the roast out after 15 minutes. Cover with a foil tent to rest.

Leave the skin in for another 15 or until crispy brown. Remove the skin and use a pizza cutter or big knife to cut it into bite size pieces to be served on the side.

Put enough of the liquid and mirepoix to constitute a sauce into a blender (3 or 4 cups, perhaps). Add heavy cream, a little at a time while blending to taste. The cream will thicken the sauce and also dial down the salt. You'll know when you have it just right. Continue blending until thick and creamy.

Serve and enjoy!