A decade ago a friend of mine in Napa Valley served me a pork shoulder from a Michael Chiarello cookbook she had on hand. It had flavor like I had never encountered before. Over the years, I have recreated it adding my own flair since I don't have the cookbook. I "humbly" present to you the Most Flavorful Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder you will ever make. ;)

What Makes This Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder So Flavorful

The original recipe was really good. What I didn't love is it used spices I didn't keep regularly like white peppercorns and coriander seeds. I generally don't love coriander even though I love cilantro (aka coriander in many countries). It also wasn't spicy enough for me and I found myself wanting to add something. When I added some red pepper flakes the first time, it was a gamechanger. Doubling down on the fennel flavor by using thinly sliced fennel bulb along with the onions added complexity. After slow roasting, the fennel and onions got slightly crispy adding a sweet and somehow slightly acidic flavor that perfectly offset the fat of the pork.

Pork Shoulder Vs Pork Butt

There is some confusion over what a pork shoulder is. Sometimes the term is used interchangeably with pork butt, however they are different. Ironically, the pork shoulder is from the leg of the pig and the pork butt is from the shoulder of the pig making it even more confusing.

Both are large cuts of meat with lots of marbling that needs to be broken down with slow roasting. Many times, the two cuts can be used for slow roasting but for this recipe you want to make sure there is a fairly large fat cap. The pork shoulder tends to be better for this since spices and the sauteed veggies will be "stored" underneath.

How to Make Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

This is mostly hands-off recipe. After rubbing the pork with a spice rub and sautéing fennel and onions, you will simply assemble the roast then place in a low oven for 8+ hours. Par-cooked potatoes can be added after the initial cooking time so they can absorb flavors.

What is Fennel?

Fennel is both a vegetable and a spice. The spice is very familiar if you like Italian sausage. It is a very prominent flavor in traditionally made Italian sausage and really what makes the sausage "Italian". It's a small striped seed that tastes amazing when slightly toasted. It has a licorice flavor which at first may be a turnoff if you only think of the black licorice candy, but it is actually very mild. Think about basil and you will be on the right track. (Basil also has a slightly licorice flavor.)

The vegetable form is a bulb with a crunchy texture similar to celery without the strings. It also has a very slight licorice flavor (less so than the seed) that is truly refreshing raw but cooks down to a very sweet and savory flavor.

Make Ahead Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

While you can certainly make this any time day, you will want to plan ahead as it roasts for 6-8 hours. It is largely hands off so I generally either start it early in the day or better yet, I roast it overnight, let it sit and cool, refrigerate and then serve later that day or the next. If you do this, add the potatoes when you reheat it. Pre-cooking also allows you to remove the excess fat layer that will harden as it cools. See notes in the recipe below for full instructions.

What to Serve with Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

The pork shoulder is super flavorful and very fatty so having something to absorb the flavors and cut the fat is crucial. I love serving it with smashed potatoes cooked in the pork fat and a big mixed green salad with my Lemon Vinaigrette.