You’ll find many Chinese recipes for pork shoulder, whose rich meat is nicely offset by a combination of sweet, sour and salty flavors. This richly marbled cut stands up beautifully to the dry-heat method of roasting, but requires a relatively low heat and long roasting time to become fork-tender.
Five-Spice Pork Shoulder with Green Onion Salsa
1 bone-in pork shoulder, 5 1/2 to 6 lb. (2.75 to 3 kg)
2 tsp. five-spice powder
3 garlic cloves, very finely minced or pressed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the salsa:
4 green onions, white and light green portions, minced
4 tsp. rice vinegar
4 tsp. medium-dry sherry
4 tsp. Asian fish sauce
2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Let the pork stand at room temperature for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat an oven to 425°F (220°C).
In a small bowl, stir together the five-spice powder, garlic, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. In a large shallow dish, rub the spice mixture all over the pork, then arrange the pork on a rack set over a roasting pan.
Transfer to the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat away from the bone registers 135°F (57°C) for medium, about 45 minutes longer, or until done to your liking. Let rest for about 30 minutes.
To prepare the salsa, in a medium bowl, stir together the green onions, vinegar, sherry, fish sauce, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice.
Cut the pork into thick slices. Arrange on a warmed serving platter, top with the salsa and serve
immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
For this and more than a hundred other recipes for roasted meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables and fruits—delicious dishes suitable for every season and every occasion—check out our Year-Round Roasting.