Chef John's Garlic-Studded Roast Pork

Chef John's roast pork is studded with garlic cloves and seasoned with rosemary, Italian seasoning, and cayenne, resulting in tender, flavorful meat.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 456 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• 2 cups cooked white beans
• 0.25 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 3.5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder roast
• 0.25 cup thinly sliced baby romaine lettuce

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat and sear pork slices in the hot oil until browned and crusty, about 10 minutes per side.

Step 3

Toss lettuce with tomatoes in a bowl and drizzle with red wine vinegar; toss again to coat.

Step 4

Heat beans in a saucepan over low heat. Layer about 1/3 cup white beans into a large, shallow soup plate; top beans with a slice of pork shoulder and about 1/4 cup lettuce mixture.

Step 5

Cut cold pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. If any garlic appears on the cut surface of the meat, pick it out so it doesn't burn. Season slices with salt.

Step 6

Cut about six holes into each side of pork roast with a sharp knife; insert one garlic clove half into each hole. Rub roast with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season all sides of roast with kosher salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then season with Italian seasoning, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Place into a roasting pan.

Step 7

Roast in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Turn the oven off with roast inside and leave it to rest for 1 hour. Then refrigerate the roast, 8 hours to overnight.