Recipe: Slow-Roasted Pork with Bourbon (make ahead)

SLOW-ROASTED PORK WITH BOURBON

FOR ALMA'S SWEET-HOT MUSTARD:
1/2 cup dry Coleman's mustard (one 2-ounce can)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard (9 ounces)
FOR THE PORK:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pork butt or pork shoulder (5 pounds)
10 cloves garlic
10 fresh sage leaves
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 or 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup bourbon
mashed potatoes, polenta or cheese grits (optional, for serving)

TO MAKE MUSTARD:
Mix together dry mustard, sugar, salt and flour. Stir vinegar and melted butter into dry mustard mixture, then add prepared mustard. Blend well. Refrigerate mustard for at least 24 hours to allow mustard powder to come to its full heat and meld with rest of ingredients. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)

TO PREPARE PORK:
Mix salt and pepper in small bowl and rub pork on all sides with mixture. Make 5 slits on bottom of roast (the lean side) and a garlic clove and a sage leaf in each one. Turn roast over and repeat on top (fatty) side. Wrap roast in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Pour flour onto plate. Unwrap pork and roll it in flour, coating all sides of meat. Pat off any excess flour.

Heat olive oil in large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meat on each side, including ends, until golden brown. This will take about 15 minutes. Transfer meat to roasting pan.

In bowl, combine 1/2 cup Alma's sweet-hot mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and bourbon. Stir until smooth. Coat meat with 1/2 to 2/3 of the mixture, using enough to cover all sides of meat. Reserve any remaining sauce.

Cover meat with aluminum foil and roast about 4 hours. Remove foil and spoon remaining mustard-bourbon sauce over top of roast. Return to oven, uncovered, and roast an additional 2 hours, or until meat is completely tender and falling from the bone.

TO SERVE:
Serve with mashed potatoes, polenta or cheese grits, if you like.

Servings: 6
Source: Cat Cora's Kitchen by Cora with Ann Krueger Spivack