Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

8-9 lbs. Pork shoulder, bone in

1/2 cup salt, Kosher

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika, Spanish, sweet

2 tablespoons oregano, Mexican (it has a sweet smell)

2 Tablespoons fennel seed, toasted

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

6 cloves garlic, minced

Heavy duty aluminum foil

1 cup water 

Method:

1. Combine the salt, sugar, spices and garlic in a small bowl.

2. On a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil rub and cover the pork shoulder with the salt sugar mixture.

3. Cover with another piece of aluminum foil and seal into a packet by folding the edges up. 

4. Juices will leak out of the packet as the salt mixture pulls the pork juice out and the salt mixture is absorbed into the meat. Place the aluminum wrapped pork shoulder on a baking sheet with sides in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

5. Remove the shoulder from the refrigerator and the aluminum foil, brushing off any excess salt mixture.

6. Place in a roasting pan with 1 cup water and place in a preheated oven at 250ºF convection 275ºF. Bake for 8 hours until the meat is tender. Baste every hour with rendered pork fat.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

8. It is now time to shred the meat, you can do this now or wrap the pork shoulder and refrigerate for 24 hours. If you choose to refrigerate the shoulder save the pork juices and rendered fat.

9. The top part of the should is one large cap of fat, remove this gently and set it aside.

10. Gently pull the meat off the pork shoulder, in shredded pieces, discarding any large fat pieces. 

11. Pour the pork juice over the meat, removing and of the rendered fat.

12. Place the fatty top cap in a skillet and slowly render it crisp on both sides. Dice it up and add it to the pulled pork, it's like seasoned bacon!

13. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When reheating use a casserole with a lid so it doesn't become dry.