Hard

Chef John's Paper Pork Shoulder

Total Time
3h 57m
18m prep ยท 219m cook
Servings
4 people
Rating
โ€”
Difficulty
Hard
2 views
๐ŸŒพ Gluten-Free ๐Ÿฅ› Dairy-Free ๐Ÿฅœ Nut-Free

This 'paper pork' was inspired by a technique for smoking beef brisket that involves wrapping the meat in parchment paper after a certain point in the cooking process, in an effort to keep the meat moist and succulent. I decided to try it for an oven-roasted pork shoulder, wrapping it from the beginning, and it came out so perfectly tender and juicy, I've been doing it that way ever since.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).

  2. 2

    Mix salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.

  3. 3

    Sprinkle rub mixture evenly and thoroughly on each surface of the pork roast, pressing it onto the surface.

  4. 4

    Cut a 4-foot piece of unbleached parchment. Place roast at one end and roll roast tightly in the parchment. Cut a second piece of parchment and roll the roast, positioning it in the opposite direction before rolling.

  5. 5

    Cut a long piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and tightly wrap the parchment-wrapped roast. Wrap the roast in a second piece of foil, and then a third, rotating the position of the roast each time. Place wrapped roast in a roasting pan with folded edges facing up to minimize leaking.

  6. 6

    Place in preheated oven and roast until tender, about 12 1/2 hours (or 1.75 hours per pound of pork).

  7. 7

    Remove pan from oven and allow the wrapped roast to rest at least 1 hour before unwrapping. Brush roast with accumulated juices in the parchment paper.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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