Pork Shoulder

The crowd always goes wild for this sweet-salty, fall-apart-tender roasted pork shoulder, and it's basically impossible to mess up.

Layers of duck, two kinds of sausage, a hearty ragout, and beans make this the comfort meal to end all comfort meals. It’s an occasion to break out the biggest pot you own. Our classic cassoulet recipe takes no shortcuts and requires a little planning, but every step is totally doable, even if you’re not a pro.

Use simply spiced pork to make a lunch worth looking forward to.

No tough strips of dry meat here.

If you’ve never made posole, this is a good starter recipe.

Talk to your butcher and let them know you’ll be making porchetta out of the shoulder roast. They’ll butterfly the roast for you, which will make it easier to roll.

Pork and beans—a match made in heaven.

While pork rib chops would be fine for this recipe, thin shoulder steaks or blade chops have more fat, meaning they’ll stay ultrajuicy even after a hard sear.

Adding fresh puréed tomato at the end of this long-simmered pork ragù lends this bowl of deliciousness acidic brightness along with depth. Unbeatable. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, shred the cooked meat with two forks and then mix it vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine with the other ingredients. This recipe is from Wildair, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

The finished stew should be decidedly sour, tamarind’s calling card, but you’re in control of how ­puckery things get. You can sub other vegetables or simplify the array, but be very careful not to overcook them. This recipe is from Bad Saint, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

You can always ask your butcher to slice the pork shoulder on the electric slicer for you, which will ensure even pieces and save you time.

Celebrate the beauty of slow-cooked, crispy-edged, meltingly rich carnitas.

It’s worth seeking out pork belly for the amazing texture it lends, but if you can’t get it, substitute with another pound of shoulder.

You can substitute braised short rib, pork shoulder, or brisket for the pastrami—if it’s fatty and shreddable, it will make a good hash.

If you can’t find guajillo chiles, use New Mexico or Californian chiles, and for moritas, try chipotle chiles in adobo. 

This Sunday sauce yields twice what you’ll need, but it freezes beautifully; bank the extra and cash it in on another night.

If you’re short on time or refrigerator space, you can preseason the pork for only one to two hours.

A little honey in the marinade helps these cutlets caramelize, guaranteeing they’ll be nicely browned despite the super-short cooking time.

It’s amazing how malleable eggs are, and this method yields an especially fluffy result. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Chef Kris Yenbamroong’s cook–friendly take on a classic Bangkok street food staple.

A hearty thanks to Pamela Lau, the talented home cook (and mom of our former staff photographer, Alex Lau!) who generously shared her proportions for the dough, soup, and filling to help us create this recipe.

Opposites attract: This bright, sprightly salad is just the thing to cut through the richness of succulent pan-fried pork.

This makes enough sauce for three 12-oz. portions of pasta, but leftover sauce is a good thing. Freeze it for next time. Learn more here.