Caucasus-Style Braised Pork Shoulder

ingredients

• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 5-pound bone-in pork shoulder roast, trimmed of excess fat and skin discarded
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

directions

Mince garlic, then mash to a paste with 2 teaspoons kosher salt using a heavy knife. Grind coriander and fenugreek seeds and red-pepper flakes to a powder in grinder, then stir together with garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Make 2 inch-deep slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and push some of paste into slits. Rub remaining paste all over meat. Put pork in a bowl and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.

Bring meat to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 5-1 1/2 gallons heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer pork to a large plate and cook onion in fat remaining in pot, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until beginning to brown, 8 minutes. Return pork to pot and add water and remaining teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly with lid and transfer to oven. Braise, turning meat once, until very tender, about 3 hours. Cool pork in pan juices completely, uncovered, about 1.5 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove fat from surface of pan juices and reheat pork (with pan juices), covered, in oven 1 hour. Transfer pork to a platter using cleaned tongs and large fork. Stir cilantro, vinegar, and table salt and pepper to taste into pan juices and serve with pork.