Experiment: Pork Shoulder: the test

So it is just after nine in the morning. I have finished off my first pot of coffee and had a bit of breakfast. Clearly, it is time for some pork shoulder.

Actually I have been thinking about this for a while now. A few weeks ago I pinched another recipe from Mario for a braised pork shoulder. It was very good. Tender and delicious. It made us high, truly. Not sure if it was because the meat had soaked in an entire bottle of wine for three days or because we hadn't eaten much that day. Anyway, it was good. It got me thinking though. About what else? Pulled Pork Sandwiches!

I love pulled pork sandwiches. I have never attempted them and I don't much like to follow recipes. I know I just told you that I pinched one from Mario. Really though, that is always more like a starting point. Some inspiration. I never actually follow to the letter. (Except with the fish, just because it is so simple and wonderful, there is really nowhere to change anything.) OK, so this inspires me this morning to go out and acquire some pork shoulder.

If this one was so good, you ask, why mess with it? Well, because that is just who I am damn it. Plus, the prep time is really quite prohibitive. In fact, this is what this experiement is all about. Here is the setup. I will take two similar cuts of meat, marinate in the same liquid, cook in the same manner. The only difference will be in the time that they soak. I will let one chill in the marinade for two days and one for just four hours. Then cook and see what happens. If nothing else I will have quite a lot of pork to eat this week.

This is going to be a four parter at least so stay tuned.