“We have friends that live on Cape Cod. They’re full-time oyster farmers and part-time farmers of other things, chickens, bees, and pigs. On a recent trip to visit them, I was tasked with cooking a beautiful 7-pound sirloin pork roast from their pig, Nelly. With a thick layer of top fat and plenty of marbling, we decided that it needed a slow roast. After scanning many recipes, we chose this one from Ina Garden. The simple paste that is rubbed over the scored fat, creates a beautiful golden crust atop a fall apart tender roast. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed green beans, and a flavorful red wine. Divine.” — Jill Melton
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Score fat on pork diagonally with a sharp knife in a crosshatch pattern. With a small paring knife, make a dozen 1/2-inch deep cuts in the top and sides of the pork to allow the seasonings to permeate the meat.
2. Place garlic, onion, jalapeno, and oregano in food processor and process until ingredients are finely chopped. Add cumin, chile powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and process for 30 seconds to make a paste. Add vinegar and olive oil and process to incorporate. Rub mixture all over pork, including the sides and the bottom, and place pork in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Pour 2 cups wine into pan and cover the whole roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Roast 2 1/2 hours, remove foil, and roast another 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is very, very tender when tested with a carving fork. Every 2 hours, add another cup of wine to keep some liquid in the pan.
4. Remove pan from oven and allow meat to rest 15 to 30 minutes. While roast is resting, make gravy.
5. To make gravy, remove drippings and separate the fat from the drippings. Place fat (about 1/4 cup) back into roasting pan and add flour. Whisk well and bring to a boil, whisking until thickened. Add drippings and water or milk until thickened, whisking well. Cook 5-10 minutes. Serve with pork. Serves 6-8.
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