Old Fashioned Pork Roast

This yummy, fork tender roast takes an amazing 7 hours to bake. You must bake it a day ahead and chill so it will slice nicely. If you don’t, it will just fall apart. Uses a less expensive cut of meat
beautifully.


6  lb  boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt)
3  cloves   garlic, minced
2  tsp  freshly cracked pepper
1-1/2  tsp  salt
1  Tbs  chopped fresh rosemary
1  Tbs  chopped fresh sage
(If using dried herbs, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon each)
1  Tbs  fennel seeds, roughly chopped
4  large  red onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
2  Tbs  vegetable oil, if needed
2  cups  apple cider
1/2  cup  apple jelly
4  Tbs  cider vinegar

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position. Preheat to 300°. Trim outer fat from pork, leaving just a thin layer. Combine garlic, pepper, salt, rosemary, sage, and fennel. Tie the pork roast with butcher’s twine in a uniform shape, wrapping the short side of meat in three places; the length
with just one wrap of twine. Pull it snuggly, as the meat will shrink. Rub with herb mixture. Transfer to roasting pan and cook uncovered, 3 hours.

Remove from oven and scatter the onion wedges around the meat, tossing onions to coat with pan dripping's. (If roast has not produced any juices, toss the onions in oil.)

Continue to roast the meat another 3½-4 hours until a skewer inserted in the center meets no resistance. (Check the pan juices every hour to make sure they have not evaporated. If necessary, add 2 cups of water to pan and stir browned bits into water.)

Transfer meat to a large baking dish. Put onions in a bowl. Pour dripping's into a measuring glass. Add enough water to measure 3 cups. (You may wish to add a little Gravy Master or a beef bouillon cube, to intensify the flavor with this much water added. I have doubled the sauce amounts from the original recipe, so the pan dripping's will be a little short to flavor
this amount). Cool for 30 minutes  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove meat from refrigerator 2 hours before serving. One hour before serving, preheat oven to 300°. Cut meat into ¼” slices, overlapping in baking dish. Spoon fat layer off dripping's and discard fat. Put dripping's and onions into a large saucepan. Add apple cider, jelly, and vinegar. Bring to boil over med-high heat; then reduce to a simmer. Spoon ½ cup over meat slices. 
Cover with foil. Bake until very hot, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, continue reducing sauce until dark and thickened, about 15 minutes. Reheat this again just before serving. Spoon mixture over pork slices on each serving, or pass for use at the table.