Mushroom Free Herb-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Crackling
A bone-in pork shoulder roasted low and slow until the meat is fall-apart tender, then blasted with high heat to produce skin that blisters, puffs, and shatters — this is the kind of centerpiece roast that makes a table go quiet. The spice paste of turmeric, smoked paprika, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, and lemon juice gets rubbed directly onto the meat beneath the skin, so every slice is deeply seasoned without a drop of anything to worry about. There are no broths, sauces, or seasoning blends hiding in this recipe — just whole spices, olive oil, and salt, which means it's naturally free from fungi-derived ingredients that can sneak into store-bought rubs and pre-marinated cuts. The overnight dry-salting step is the real secret weapon: it pulls moisture from the skin so the crackling crisps up dramatically rather than steaming and turning leathery. That final blast at 450°F is where the magic happens — the scored skin puffs into golden, audibly crunchy crackling that you'll want to fight over before the pork even makes it to the plate. Serve it with lemon wedges to cut through the richness and a few rosemary sprigs for a finish that looks as impressive as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the pork
- 4 lb bone-in pork shoulder (skin-on)
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the spice rub
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For the crackling
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for the skin)
For serving
- fresh rosemary sprigs, for serving (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Using a sharp knife or box cutter, score the pork skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting through the skin and fat but not into the meat, with lines about 1/2 inch apart. Pat the entire surface of the pork completely dry with paper towels.
- 2
Rub the fine sea salt all over the scored skin and into the cuts. Place the pork uncovered on a wire rack set over a roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight — the skin should feel dry and slightly papery to the touch before roasting.
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