Pistachio Free Herb-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Crackling
Few things at the dinner table command attention quite like a pork shoulder with a shatteringly crisp, blistered skin and deeply spiced meat underneath. The spice paste — built from turmeric, smoked paprika, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, and a hit of lemon juice — gets rubbed directly onto the meat beneath the skin, so every slice is infused with warm, layered flavor. The real secret to that legendary crackling is patience: an overnight salt-dry in the fridge draws out moisture and sets the skin up for maximum puff and crunch when the oven heat finally blasts it at the end. Scoring the skin in a crosshatch pattern and pressing flaky salt into the cuts ensures the fat renders evenly and the surface blisters into those satisfying, golden bubbles. This is a naturally tree-nut-free recipe from start to finish — every ingredient on the list is straightforward, with no hidden blends or mixed spice packets that could introduce unwanted allergens. Serve it straight from the board with lemon wedges and a few rosemary sprigs, and it looks like something that took far more effort than it actually did.
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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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