Roast Pork Shoulder - Caribbean Style

Courtesy of:  Pork Be Inspired

Ingredients

4-5 pound bone-in pork shoulder
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 head garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons oregano
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon lard, OR oil
Zest and juice of 1 orange, grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, grated
Juice of 1 bitter orange

Cooking Directions

Using a sharp knife make several shallow cuts (about 1/2-inch deep) in the pork, place in a glass or ceramic roasting pan. Spread the onion slices on the bottom of the pan.

 

Place the rest of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process to make a paste. Rub the pork with the mixture on all sides, making sure it goes into the cuts. Place pork on top of the onions.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 4 hours, turning once, leaving the fat side up for cooking.

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pork in the middle rack of the oven. After 30 minutes turn down the temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additional 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so with its own juices. Plan for a total  of 25-30 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature as measured with a meat thermometer is 160 degrees F.

 

Remove the pork from the oven and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving, discard onions.

Serves 8-10.

Serving Suggestions

The less tender shoulder cut is given a long slow cooking time to create a tender meal. Serve with red beans and rice and a tropical fruit salad.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 282 calories
Protein: 27 grams
Fat: 16 grams
Sodium: 597 milligrams
Cholesterol: 95 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Fiber: 1 grams

The Organization and its Purpose

The National Pork Board was created by an Act of Congress that established the pork Checkoff. The Pork Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1985 is commonly known as the Pork Act. Pork producers asked Congress to make the Checkoff a mandatory, national program and, in a vote in 1988, affirmed the continuation of the pork Checkoff. The Pork Act outlines how checkoff funds must be used. The National Pork Board collects checkoff on all U.S. produced market hogs, feeder pigs, breeding stock, imported hogs and pork products. The National Pork Board administers programs and allocates Checkoff funds according to priorities determined by those who pay the checkoff. Producer priorities are determined through various methods to identify and prioritize key issues affecting the pork industry. At the national level, programs are administered by the National Pork Board. The Pork Act requires that a percentage of the Checkoff funds collected each year be returned to state producer associations. The National Pork Board is responsible for communicating with pork producers and the public. Communications tools include a quarterly magazine, a radio service with farm broadcasters, newsletters and Internet sites to keep people who pay the Checkoff informed about the programs their investments support.