BCS Tailgating at Home: Our Pork Roast Recipe

My attendance to Bama games fell off dramatically after graduation. When I did get to games, it was usually with my best friend from high school and we would always make a stop by Dreamland, thus a tradition was born.

While my Bama game viewing has shifted from sitting in the stands to sitting on my couch, nothing makes watching a great game better than good company and great food, and very often that means barbecue. Being a Monday, those of us that can’t take off January 9th may not feel like grilling outside in the cold, so for those of us who are planning to watch the BCS Championship Game on TV, here’s a tailgate-style main dish to go along with those other game snacks.

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This slow-cooked pork recipe is one I’ve come up with through trial and error, from several different sources. I recommend pork shoulder roasts because they are typically inexpensive and if cooked slowly have better flavor, moisture and texture, like more expensive center-cut roasts.

1. This recipe is very easy and leaves a lot of room to add your own personal touches.  You’re going to need:
2. Pork Roast – Shoulder or Boston Butt is fine, typically 5 lbs
3. Garlic Bulb
4. Salt/Pepper
5. Favorite Seasoning – Seasoned Salt, Pork Rub, Onion Powder anything you like on pork that you can sprinkle dry.
6. White Vinegar

Prep time is going to take no more than 30 minutes. Plan to do this gameday morning before you get on with your day, or you can even prep the night before. If you do prep the night before, set the meat out at least 15 minutes before you put it into the oven.  Marinating isn’t necessary, as the pork is going to cook at a low temperature for a several hours, allowing the spices and flavors to incorporate into the meat.

You’ll need a small sharp knife.  Take several (I use at least 4 or 5) garlic bulbs, remove the skins, and slice thin strips of garlic.  Poke cuts into the roast with your knife and shove a garlic slice into each cut. Try to space the cuts evenly around the roast and this will help the flavor distribute evenly. Don’t be timid – garlic and slow roasted pork want to be together!

Next, season the outside of your roast with whatever your favorite flavors are. Not sure? Then stick with something simple like salt, pepper and onion powder. I’ve even used sweet pecan rubs that worked out well. In my opinion the most important flavors for the roast are the garlic and salt. Cover the meat with your “rub” liberally and transfer the roast to a roasting rack that you can place in a pan to catch the drippings. I usually prepare the pan by lining it with aluminum foil for an easier clean up.  Most roasts are cut with a layer of fat on one side – I like to place my roast with the fatty side up to allow the juices to self-baste the meat while cooking.

Put the roast, rack and pan into the oven, add some white vinegar to the drip pan (a cup or two should do depending on how large your pan is) and set the oven at 200 degrees. Let it cook for anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on size of your roast. If it’s larger or is bone-in, I’d let it go to longer side of the timing range, but fact is, you’re cooking at such a low temperature for such a long period of time, there’s a large margin for error – an extra hour won’t ruin it. The great thing is, the roast can cook unmonitored so you can go off to work and leave it, but if you are home you may want to drizzle a little vinegar on it every few hours – the vinegar helps break down the fat and keeps the meat very moist. I like that fat layer to get a little crispy, so typically for a larger bone-in roast, I’ll go 10 hrs, then crank the heat up to 400 or 425 for 30 minutes to get a nice crispy crust on the outside of the roast.  Take the roast out of the oven and let it sit for at least 15 minutes — or cover and it can sit up to a few hours. Resting the meat lets the internal juices spread out evenly throughout the roast.

Serving the meat is easy – best way is probably pulled pork style; you’ll find all you really need is a fork to separate the meat. Then, top it off with your favorite sauce. I like to top it off with Dreamland sauce that I’ll heat up in a small saucepan.  Serve it traditionally with Sunbeam bread or with your favorite sides. If you’re home you can toss some cut up potatoes to roast in the drip pan an hour or so before you plan to take it out of the oven. Then settle in to watch the Tide go after number 14!

If anyone tries this, let me know how you liked it. What are your favorite game day recipes?