Spiced Roast Pork with Fennel and Apple Salad
A flavorful roasted pork shoulder crusted with aromatic spices and chiles, served alongside a refreshing fennel and apple salad. The meat is slowly roasted to perfection and paired with a bright, crunchy salad that perfectly balances the rich, spiced pork.
Ingredients
- •15 whole dried Kashmiri, guajillo, or New Mexico chiles, seeds removed
- •5 pieces star anise
- •3 Tbsp fennel seeds
- •2 Tbsp coriander seeds
- •2 Tbsp cumin seeds
- •1 Tbsp peppercorns
- •2 tsp whole cloves
- •6 cloves garlic
- •½ cup apple cider vinegar
- •½ cup vegetable oil
- •1 piece boneless pork shoulder
- •4½ tsp kosher salt
- •1 to taste Flaky sea salt
- •1 bulb fennel
- •1 whole Honeycrisp apple
- •2 whole serrano or red Thai chiles
- •3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 handful cilantro
- •1 to taste Kosher salt
- •1 piece spice mill or mortar and pestle
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Cook chiles, star anise, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and cloves in a dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Set one-fourth of spice mixture aside.
5 min
- 2.
Blend garlic, vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/4 cup water in a blender until smooth. Add remaining toasted spices and blend, adding splashes of water if needed to help turn the blades, until chile paste is mostly smooth; some texture is okay.
10 min
- 3.
Season pork with 1 tsp. kosher salt per pound (check the butcher's sticker on the package to see the weight of what you purchased). Smear half of chile paste all over pork; transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and let sit at room temperature at least 2 hours, or cover and chill up to 12 hours.
120 min
- 4.
Finely grind reserved spice mixture in a spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small skillet; stir in remaining 1/4 cup oil. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring, until spices have darkened slightly and are fragrant, about 1 minute. Let spice oil cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and set aside.
15 min
- 5.
Preheat oven to 275°F. Roast pork until paste is darkened and looks dried out and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 120°F, 11/2-2 hours, depending on the size. Make sure to take the temperature in more than one spot as there will be thick and thin parts of the roast. Let rest 2 hours.
240 min
- 6.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Rub pork with reserved chile paste and roast until marinade has formed a fragrant crust and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130°F, 8-12 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes. Thinly slice and transfer to a platter. Spoon reserved spice oil over pork; sprinkle with sea salt.
30 min
- 7.
Toss fennel bulb and fronds, apple, lime zest and juice, chiles, and cilantro in a large bowl; season salad with salt. Drizzle oil over and toss to coat. Serve pork with salad.
15 min
