Slow Roasted Italian Pork

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds pork shoulder or boneless country style ribs
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, well-drained
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pork:

   • Preheat your oven to 300°F.
   • Combine garlic salt and black pepper. Rub this mixture onto pork pieces, which you’ve cut into 4-5 inch chunks and trimmed of visible fat.

2. Brown Pork:

   • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer browned pork to a bowl. You may need to add a bit more olive oil between batches.

3. Cook Aromatics:

   • Reduce heat to medium-low. In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the diced onion until soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

4. Add Tomatoes & Seasonings:

   • Add San Marzano tomatoes, breaking them apart with your hands. Stir in tomato paste, oregano, basil, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer.

5. Roast in Oven:

   • Return the browned pork to the pot. Cover and roast in the preheated oven for 3 hours.
   • After 3 hours, remove the cover, add well-drained diced tomatoes, and roast uncovered for another hour, stirring halfway through.

6. Shred Pork:

   • Once the pork is tender and the sauce is thickened, remove the pork from the pot. Let it cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Return the shredded pork to the pot.

7. Finish Sauce:

   • Stir chopped fresh basil into the sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes to further thicken the sauce.

8. Serve or Store:

   • Serve immediately over pasta, polenta, or use in other dishes. To store, let it cool slightly and transfer to airtight containers. It can be frozen for several months. Thaw before reheating gently to avoid breaking up the pork pieces.

Tips:

• San Marzano Tomatoes: If you can’t find these, any high-quality canned tomatoes will do, but San Marzano adds a unique depth of flavor.
• Diced Tomatoes: Opt for fire-roasted for an added layer of flavor, but regular diced tomatoes work fine too.
• Shredding Pork: For larger pieces, use two forks to shred. Don’t over-stir to maintain the nice, larger chunks of pork.

Enjoy your delicious pork shoulder dish! It’s perfect for a cozy meal or can be used in various other recipes.