I hate ham. You know the one — studded with cloves and topped with pineapple rings from a can, served at the table in many households across America. My dad loved the classic spiral ham glistening in the Honey Baked commercials this time of year, but fortunately he was outnumbered. Instead, my mom went to the butcher and ordered a fresh skin-on, bone-in pork shoulder.
Marbled, unctuous, and deep in flavor, it’s the ultimate pork roast for the holiday table, and it will leave you will plenty of leftovers to keep and to send home with guests. Use the bones for a rich Tuscan kale and white bean soup, put the skin in the air fryer for a crunchy snack, and make sandwiches or tacos from the meat.
I order mine once a year from Campo Grande, which sells Spain’s signature free-range acorn-fed Ibérico pork raised on humane family farms, but you can sometimes order it ahead from local butcher shops. Pork shoulder is also called “picnic ham” and comes from the lower part of the shoulder. The more common pork butt (“Boston butt”) is from the upper shoulder and is fattier. This cut is easier to come by and also works well as a roast. I highly recommend the bone-in variety as the bone adds savoriness for a pan gravy and soups and stews later in the week.
You’ll need to score the skin. You can use a sharp knife, but I find it too easy to cut into the meat which you don’t want to do. My secret is this bread lame (it even matches my kitchen!) or you can use a medium to heavy duty X-ACTO blade.
You can season the roast up to a day before cooking and store it in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap. This will allow the flavors of the seasoning to penetrate more deeply.
For a perfect pork roast accompaniment, you can’t go wrong with au gratin potatoes. My mom made them lighter by using Parmigiano-Reggiano, her favorite cheese. To make thin, even slices, I recommend using a mandolin. You can find a good basic one for around $20 and I promise you’ll reach for this versatile kitchen tool all the time.
Crispy skin-on bone-in pork shoulder roast
1 bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder
Coarse salt, to taste
Fresh or dried rosemary, crushed
1 head garlic, wrapped in foil
5 dried bay leaves
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Score the skin of the roast diagonally to create a diamond or square pattern. Rub the skin with kosher salt and crushed rosemary. Place the roast on a baking tray, scored side up to allow the fat to slowly melt and baste the meat, keeping it moist. Add the white wine, bay leaves, and garlic to the baking tray.
Estimate about 25 minutes of cooking time for every pound of meat. It is essential to use a high quality instant read meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is correct.
When the meat has reached an internal temperature of 130–135 degrees, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Continue baking the roast for an additional 30 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Keep in mind that as the meat rests, the internal temperature will rise an additional 10–15 degrees, so it is crucial to remove it from the oven before it reaches the desired 160 degrees.
Remove the shoulder from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
While the roast rests, unwrap the roasted garlic bulb and squeeze 4 to 5 cloves into the pan juices, smashing with a fork. Add the stock, set the burner to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a boil. Sprinkle the flour evenly as you whisk vigorously. Turn the burner to low and continue to whisk until the flour is cooked through and well incorporated, and you achieve a smooth gravy.
Potatoes au gratin with Parmigiano-Reggiano
Butter to grease the baking dish
2½ pounds Russet potatoes (3 to 4), peeled and sliced very thin
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2¼ cups heavy cream
Fresh thyme (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch (or 2-quart) baking dish with butter.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with the salt and pepper until evenly coated.
Arrange some of the potato slices, edges overlapping, in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the potatoes and then pour a quarter of the cream over the cheese. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cheese, and cream, forming four layers.
Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for one hour, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown on top. Let the dish rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, if using, and serve.
