My entertaining manifesto can be summed up like so: serve a big hunk of meat and a salad. Nearly every dinner party I throw follows that model, plus or minus some vegetables. The larger the guest list, the larger the hunk of meat.
I think there's something kind of magic about spending two days preparing a large roast to share with people that I love; putting that kind of time into a roast (even though most of that time is completely hands-off) brings a visceral, nourishing intentionality to the meal. The one I bring out over and over again that no one, myself included, ever gets bored of is a slow-roasted bone-in pork shoulder.
I've never made the exact same pork roast twice—the flavor and presentation change every time—but my technique is always the same. It's a good technique to know at times such as the holidays, when you might have a table of 12 or 14 to feed. And the best part of this technique? You don't need a recipe. You just need to follow these simple steps:
1. Procure a Big Hunk of Pork
A bone-in pork shoulder, butt, or picnic roast is the way to go for this kind of all-day slow-roasting project. Most bone-in pork roasts are somewhere between 8 and 12 pounds, which is just the right amount for feeding a crowd of 12 to 14. You want to make sure it's skin-off—they usually are, but double-check before you take it home.
Equal parts brown sugar, kosher salt, and ground spices are the secrets to a perfect pork rub. Add fresh grated garlic, too, if desired.
2. Make a Rub
Equal parts kosher salt, brown sugar, and ground spices is the ideal ratio for a pork roast rub. For a 10-12 lb roast, you want 1/4 cup of each (of salt, sugar, and combined spices). For a smaller roast, decrease that amount by about 1 tablespoon per every 2 pounds. As for what spices to choose, go for a combo of whatever you want your pork to taste like: mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, crushed red chili flakes, and fennel seeds are all good choices. I like to use whole spices and toast them in a skillet until fragrant, than crush them in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, but you can also use pre-ground spices if that's what you've got on hand. In addition to your equal parts of spices, salt, and sugar, you can also add some fresh grated ginger, garlic, or citrus zest to the mix. I love a sort-of-Italian blend of mustard seeds, peppercorns, chile flakes, fennel seeds, lemon zest, and garlic, or a sort-of-Asian blend of mustard seeds, chile flakes, coriander seeds, and fresh ginger.
