Chef John's Garlic-Studded Roast Pork

Garlic-studded, herb-rubbed pork shoulder is such a great cut of meat. I cooked it in a pan without liquid, without covering it, and without cooking it at a really low temperature. I didn't want it to be falling apart and wet; I wanted it to be solid, chewy and crusty.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 456 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• ¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 3 ½ pounds bone-in pork shoulder roast
• ¼ cup thinly sliced baby romaine lettuce
• 2 cups cooked white beans

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Cut about 6 holes per side into pork roast with a sharp knife and insert garlic clove halves into the holes. Rub roast with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season all sides of roast with kosher salt and a generous amount of black pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Place into a roasting pan.

Step 3

Roast in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Turn off the oven with roast inside and leave it to rest for 1 hour. Refrigerate meat overnight.

Step 4

Cut cold pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. If any garlic appears on the cut surface of the meat, pick it out so it doesn't burn. Season slices with salt.

Step 5

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat and sear pork slices in the hot oil until browned and crusty, about 10 minutes per side.

Step 6

Toss lettuce with tomatoes in a bowl and drizzle with red wine vinegar; toss again to coat.

Step 7

Heat beans in a saucepan over low heat. Layer about 1/3 cup white beans into a large, shallow soup plate; top beans with a slice of pork shoulder and about 1/4 cup lettuce mixture.