DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!

I am a firm believer that heat has its place in the kitchen and I don’t mean the warmth from the oven.  I occasionally have to convince my students that a finely minced jalapeno adds a freshness and a zing to a salad.  A tablespoon or two of ginger adds a slow quiet heat.  A pinch of crushed red pepper adds a level of flavor and kick to stews and sauces.  Peppercorns in moderation are my friend.  Adding peppercorns simply to name a dish “peppercorn crusted” or “peppercorn roasted” is an absurdity.  I was intrigued by the vermouth sauce for this recipe.  I toned down the original recipe from 8 tbsp. peppercorns to 4. 

Can you say steak au poivre on steroids!!!

If you like heat, you will love this dish.  The directions instruct you to create slits in the roast and to fill the slits with the peppercorn paste.  This infusion permeates the pork as intended.  The balance rubbed over the surface sends this from hot to “jump up and slap your momma down hot”. 

The vermouth sauce probably didn’t get a fair shake here as it was completely overpowered by the pepper.  I am still intrigued by it and might try it again over plain ole regular run of the mill I can eat you with nary a glass of water near my hand pork chops and will update you. 

PEPPERCORN ROASTED PORK WITH VERMOUTH PAN SAUCE adapted from Gourmet magazine

6 tbsp pink peppercorns, divided

2 tbsp black peppercorns

1 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds

7 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp vegetable oil

5 lb boneless pork shoulder roast (butt end)

1/2 cup dry vermouth

2 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp butter, softened

1 tbsp all purpose flour

Grind 1/4 cup pink peppercorns with black peppercorns and fennel in grinder.  Stir in garlic, oil and 1 tbsp salt.

Pat pork dry and using a paring knife, make about 16 slits into the roast, about 2 inches.  Stuff the slits with all but 1 tbsp of the paste and then rub remaining paste over the roast.  Put in a 13×9 baking dish and chill, 8-24 hours.

Let pork stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350.  Roast pork, fat side up, about 1 1/2 -2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.  Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes.  

Meanwhile, pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from roasting pan.  Add vermouth to pan and boil, scraping up bits, 2 minutes.  Stir in broth, any meat juices on cutting board and remaining 2 tbsp pink peppercorns.  Boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about five minutes.  Knead together butter and flour and whisk into sauce and boil, whisking constantly, until just slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Serve pork with sauce.