Everyone has a few recipes that remind them of home, smells that unlock memories, and flavors that bring them back to a certain time. For some, it’s the smell of hot chocolate, roasted duck, onions sauteed in butter, or freshly baked cinnamon buns. For me, this recipe is one that will always bring me back to a time of growing up and family dinners.
This fennel-roasted pork shoulder is a family recipe that is simple but packs huge flavor once it’s done slow-roasting. Fennel seeds, black pepper, salt, and time in a low oven are all that it takes to turn a pork shoulder into a succulent and aromatic roast perfect for a holiday supper. Growing up, my family was always averse to sweet baked hams, so when we needed a pork fix, this was the way to go!
The base of flavor in this recipe comes down to the rub, simply made from just 3 ingredients. Anise or fennel seeds are the titular ingredient, and using whole seeds is important to allow for the richest flavor. Fennel seeds are less sweet than anise, with a milder flavor anise seeds have a much sweeter, more powerful black licorice flavor. While you can generally use fennel seeds and anise as substitutes in the kitchen, they have slightly different flavors.
The other two ingredients are as simple as seasonings can get, whole black peppercorns and kosher salt. It’s important to grind both the fennel seeds and black peppercorns for the rub right before coating the pork so that the oils are at their maximum flavor. The amount of kosher salt depends on the weight of your pork shoulder, with 1-½ tablespoons on the lighter end and 2 tablespoons on the heavier end.
There’s also no need to toast the spices beforehand since they will have plenty of time to toast while in the low oven. After coarsely grinding the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, simply mix in the salt and your rub is done!
Using your 7” Boning Knife or 8” Gyuto, carefully remove the skin from your 6-8 pound pork shoulder. Place on a large roasting pan and score both sides about ¾-inches deep to allow maximum flavor penetration. Evenly coat both sides of the pork with the spice mix, rubbing the spices into the scored cuts. Place yellow potatoes on the pan and place in a 325F degree oven to roast.
With perfect timing for this recipe, I recently was gifted a Chef iQ Smart Thermometer by a college friend who currently works for R&D. I used the integrated Chef iQ app to slow-roast this beautiful piece of pork and it worked wonders helping me know the exact oven temperature, internal temperature, and how much time the roast will realistically take to cook.
In the meantime, a great side to balance out the rich pork is a light and citrusy fennel salad. After thinly slicing 2 large bulbs worth of fennel, mix with kosher salt to allow some moisture to seep out, condensing the fennel flavor, and helping make the fennel softer to the bite. After 20 minutes, there will be a noticeable amount of fennel liquid, which you will drain away before rinsing the fennel and squeezing it dry again.
Finish the cured fennel salad with some thinly sliced red onion, chopped parsley, minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well and lightly season with
more kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper before refrigerating.
After three hours, you’ll remove the potatoes from the pan and add some white wine to add a hit of moisture and allow some of the brown fond to release. Then you’ll finish the roast for another few hours until it reaches the internal 185F degrees.
Once the time is up, it should be browned, rendered, crisp, and intoxicatingly aromatic. Let rest 15 minutes before placing the whole roast on a cutting board and slicing the meat away from the bone into ¼ inch slices and placing it back onto the caramelized fond and potatoes on the sheet tray. Transfer to a serving plate or serve as is.
Enjoy this recipe with your family or people that you love! Happy Holidays from the Forge To Table team.
Anise Roasted Pork and Cured Fennel Salad
Aromatic fennel is the star of this dish, in both a spicy pork rub and lemon-y salad. Slow-roasting the pork shoulder allows it to stay juicy while the seasoning reaches every part of the meat. Forget about that sickly-sweet ham and try this for a true holiday feast!
Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 4-5 hours
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
¼ cup fennel seeds or anise seeds
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1-½ - 2 tablespoons kosher salt (see notes)
6-8 pound bone-in pork shoulder, skin removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds small yellow potatoes
1 cup dry white wine
2 large fennel bulbs, core removed, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 each clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest (1 lemons worth)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemons worth)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
SPICES. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, pulverize the fennel or anise seeds and black pepper until a coarse consistency. Mix with kosher salt and set aside.
RUB. Using a 7” Boning Knife or 8” Gyuto, carefully remove the skin from your pork shoulder. Place on a large roasting pan and score both sides about ¾-inches deep. Evenly coat both sides of the pork with the spice mix, rubbing the spices into the scored cuts.
ROAST. Drizzle the edges of the pan with extra virgin olive oil and toss with the small yellow potatoes. Roast in the oven for about 3 hours.
FENNEL. Meanwhile, prepare the fennel bulbs by removing the core and thinly slicing it lengthwise(reserve the green fronds for garnish later). Place the sliced fennel into a large bowl and add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and mix well to combine. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, allowing the salt to draw out the moisture, condense the fennel, and concentrate its flavor.
SALAD. Rinse the fennel with some cold water, draining and squeezing to make sure little water remains. To the cured fennel, add thinly sliced red onion, chopped parsley, minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well and lightly season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Chill salad.
FINISH ROAST. Once time is up, the pork should be aromatic and fat rendered. Remove the potatoes from the pan and using a spoon, remove and discard half of the rendered fat. Add white wine to the pan and cook for an additional 1 to 1-½ hours, or until the pork is well-browned, crispy, and registers 185F degrees in the thickest part.
SERVE. Remove from oven, add the potatoes back to the pan to warm through, and let rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice the pork shoulder into ¼ inch slices and place it back onto the caramelized fond and potatoes on the sheet tray. Transfer to a serving plate or serve as is. Serve with fennel salad and garnish with reserved fennel fronds, if desired. Enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
If using a 6-pound pork shoulder, use 1-½ tablespoons kosher salt, and if using an 8-pound use 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
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