Ingredients
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 fresh sage leaves
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
1½ cup halved prunes, divided
One 5-pound boneless pork shoulder (see note)
2 cups red wine (see note)
½ cup sliced shallots
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a food processor, combine the garlic, parsley, sage, salt, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and ½ cup of the prunes and pulse until the mixture is broken down to a sticky paste. With a paring knife, make crosshatch cuts into the meat, about 2 inches deep, at 2-inch intervals. Press the spice paste into each cut. Then rub the extra spice on the sides.
Using ½ cup prunes (about 6-8), place them inside the natural openings on the sides of the pork roast. Place in the oven and cook 2 hours.
After 2 hours, remove the pork from the oven. Chop the remaining ½ cup of prunes very finely. Add the red wine, the prunes, the shallots, and the balsamic vinegar to the pan, stirring to combine and to deglaze the pan and create a wonderful sauce. Return to the oven and continue cooking about 1 hour (for a total of 3 hours) or until the internal temperature is 155F. Watch the pork closely. When it gets brown, loosely cover it with foil to avoid burning.
Serve with the Prune Wine Reduction on the side.
Notes
Notes: If you have time, marinate the pork roast overnight. Just cover the pork roast in plastic wrap (or beeswax wrap), set it in a roasting pan, and refrigerate. When ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Use a reasonably priced bottle of red wine. A Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Pinot Noir would be lovely. If you are not able to use red wine, use beef broth instead.
Pork roasts are often tied together. There are crevices all over where you can tuck prunes inside the meat. It will be delicious.
Keywords: pork roast, wine reduction, dinner party meal