Chili & Apple Cider Vinegar Pork

I've written a lot of posts lately on really quick and easy recipes, something you whip together effortlessly... but today, you're in for a different sort of treat. This recipe *is* long, and it *will* take a while - but please don't let that scare you off. You don't have to do it all at once - in fact, you could easily do step 1 on the night before you want to eat this, step 2 the next morning, and step 3 just before serving. (Or - step 1 in the morning, step 2 and 3 just before eating.) And I assure you, well worth the time.

This is a really flavorful way to cook pork, and I use a fairly cheap cut with quite a bit of marbled fat - sadly, I'm not completely sure what that corresponds to in English. Looking at wikipedia, I think it's blade shoulder, or spare rib roast, depending on where in the world you are.

The recipe is adapted from the Swedish grocery store Ica.

Chili & Apple Cider Vinegar Pork
Serves 4

800 g pork shoulder

brine:
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
3 tbsp salt
700 ml water
1,5 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp black peppercorns (whole)
1 bay leaf
200 ml apple cider vinegar

spice rub:
1 tbsp yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil

Step 1:
Make the brine. Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Peel the garlic. Mix all the ingredients in a pot, and bring to boil. Stir so that the sugar and salt dissolves, then remove from heat and leave to cool.

Place the meat in a fairly narrow container, and pour the brine over it. The meat should be pretty much submerged. Use a weight if it isn't. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Step 2:
Heat the oven to 150°C. Mix the spice rub - just toss all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Remove the meat from the brine, dry it off a little bit, and rub in all the spices. Place the meat in a baking dish, and bake for about one hour or until it reaches an inner temperature of 65°C. Flip the meat after half the cooking time to make sure it roasts evenly.

Remove from the oven, and let the meat rest a little bit before slicing it. Or cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours - that'll work too. Save the pan juices, whatever you do!

Step 3:
When it's time to eat, slice the meat into 1 cm slices. Grill them briefly, either in a pan or on an outdoor grill. Heat the pan juices, adding a little bit more water if needed, and drizzle the meat with them just before serving.

Recipe in Swedish:
Karré med äppelcidervinäger & chili