Southwestern Pork Shoulder

A spicy, tender pork shoulder recipe that is sure to please. This one has a long list of spices, but all add to the flavor.

Ingredients:

3 pound (1.36 kg) pork shoulder

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried thyme

2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried oregano

2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried marjoram

2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground ginger

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground coriander

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground black pepper

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground white pepper

3 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped

2 tablespoons of adobo sauce

3 tablespoons (53 mL) apple cider vinegar

Cooking It:

Okay, that was an obnoxiously long list of ingredients. Let’s do something with them. In a large bowl, combine the spices in the following order. I like to add all the dry spices first then mix. Then add the garlic, chipotle chilis, adobo sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Mix it all and rub on to the pork shoulder.

Optional step: Let it marinade for an hour.

Oven method: Heat the oven to 275 degrees F (140 C). In a 2 1/2 quart (2.3 L) baking dish, put a little vegetable oil to grease the bottom. Place pork shoulder in a baking dish and shove it in the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Slow cooker method: Rub bottom of slow cooker with a little bit of vegetable oil to grease the bottom. Place pork shoulder in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, low for 8 to 9 hours.