Matilda, Maple, and Garlic Pork Shoulder with Crispy Skin

I’ve made this twice and it is amazing! I followed the recipe with the exception of the beer. I used an Ale with citrusy flavor. It was delicious. Both times I used about a 6 lb skin on pork shoulder both times it was done early. Both times everyone loved it!

This is my 7th time to make this recipe...ok I admit it, I love it and the way it makes my house smell! Amazing and wonderful

This has a lot of great taste and almost doesn't really need a sauce with it - though it is a small commitment to make. Let our experience teach you though: one time we tried to make this using a faster method and IT DID NOT EVEN REMOTELY COMPARE. So don't take any shortcuts on this one.

what sauce would you recommend? can you a gravy from the drippings or serve it with a bbq sauce?

I love this recipe and am wondering how I would cook it in a Weber. I live in AZ and do not want to use my oven that long. I'm afraid the Weber may dry it out? Thoughts on this?

Leftover Lindeman’s Frambois Lambic Beer (used to braised pork) is most excellent splashed in some dry champagne. I highly recommend.

This recipe is SLAP YOUR MAMA GOOD!! I'm telling you in may be one of the best recipes I have ever made! And that's saying something because it's pretty simple to make with few ingredients. At first glance the ingredients seem intimidating because they are not regularly used items in many kitchens. However, the ingredients can be found easily at the grocery store and I found a few substitutions that worked easily with things I already had at home.

Once you make the rub which takes about 15 minutes with the pork prep, you don't have to do much at all! I was worried about going to work with the roast in the oven. I did the 30 minute cook right before bed then lowered the temp when I went to bed around 11 pm. My roast was probably around 6 lbs. When I got up I based with the roast's juices and 1-2 cups of beer around 6 am. Came home at lunch and based it once more around noon. I basted twice which worked well. Used a temp gauge and found that it was cooked so I turned off the oven and left it in the oven. Came home and warmed it up as mentioned under the broiler for 15 minutes and it was perfection! Next time I may see how it works with my schedule and keep in mind that 12 hours may be enough for a smaller roast.

I substituted apple cider vinegar for malt vinegar and it seemed to work fine although I haven't tried the malt yet. We used Lindeman's Framboise lambic beer which I think can be found at big grocery stores. The fruity flavor complemented the rub.

BrenB's comments in the review before mine were SUPER useful.

Ive made this twice now. The second time I really nailed it. The comments are full of great tips which really helped this second time. This time around I made a 10.7 lb Pork Shoulder picnic roast. Some tips that really helped this time:

Fennel: As other suggested, I used half the amount, which still left the subtle hint of fennel and complimented the other flavors.

Syrup: I used dark color grade A. Thanks to wyckham for the helpful link about syrup.

Skin: Basted twice. 6 hours apart. Only used half of the 22oz bottle in total. Also thanks to [email protected] for the link to his site with great pictures on how to cut the skin. My first time around I didn’t cut deep enough and ended up with a big piece of leather.

Beer: I couldn’t find Matilda in the stores near me so I used Duvel Belgian Golden Ale. According to some beer sites, Duvel Belgian Golden Ale and Matilda are the same class of beer. Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

Skin Sticking: Put tin foil down in the roasting pan for the first part of the cook. That helped but the skin still stuck to the tin foil. Ill put some kind of oil down next time to help with the sticking.

Cooking Time: First measured my stoves temp without anything in it. Turned out 200 was really 215. I cooked the pork shoulder for 15 hours and hit a temp of 190. The first time I cooked this I took it to 200 and some of the outer piece of lighter meat was dry. Maybe Ill split the difference next time and take it to 195.

The Stall: Susige has a link the hotline discussion and ChefOno talks about “The Stall”, that was a new concept to me and it was helpful when watching the temp stop moving for a while.

Temperature probe is a must. I have the one from termoworks and I couldn’t do this recipe without it.

Ill definitely do this recipe again, it was a real crowd pleaser.

The best pork recipe I have ever made. I enjoyed the long cook time. A great fragrance permeating my kitchen. That shiny, brown roast providing eye candy everytime I basted it. Just like Emily suggested, we each served ourselves with two forks.

I finally got to make this! I made it with a 3lb cut of meat, hoping it would cook faster. It didn’t. It took me a solid 14-15 hours to get the meat tender and close to 200F internal temperature.
Overall, this was a pretty tasty but time consuming recipe. I found the fennel to be overpowering to the point it’s all I can taste on the bark. If I make this again, I’d definitely reduce the fennel by 2/3 so it’s more subtle.
Word to the wise: if you have a digital stove it will auto shut off at 12 hours. I learned this the hard way! Make sure you plan accordingly so your oven doesn’t go cold on you!

Any comments on how to do the slow cooking in an Instant Pot instead of an oven? Thanks!

Do I cover the pork or leave it uncovered while cooking?

Hard time locating Grade 'B' Maple Syrup. Used Grade 'A' for recipe. Anyone esle use grade 'A'? Does grade B grade have richer flavor?

This is the most delicious pork shoulder I've ever had. I didn't want to share any of it (I did, promise). I did the slow roasted method explained here, but honestly will make it in the crock pot next time as it's just as easy.

Can you adapt this for an Instant Pot?

This was great! Used only 2/3 of the 22 oz. bottle of beer. Went to the local craft beer shop and they recommended a Brewery Ommegang Abbey Ale from Cooperstown, NY brewery as Matilda not available here. Also reduced the fennel by half.

I was reading that your Grandma used to cover her ham with "Ginger ale"..and she was from Chicago..Did she use VERNORS ginger ale? I'm wondering as I'm from Michigan..and as Chicago is in the same geographic area..I'm thinking she did..The reason I'm saying this is that other Ginger ales will NOT act or taste the same and someone MAY be dissapointed in your Grandmas cooking.

Has anyone done this on the grill? We have a Weber that keeps heat pretty consistent. I just don't want to have my oven on for so long

Any adaptations if we cook it w. a boneless shoulder instead of bone in?
Thanks in advance.

I tried this recipe for my anniversary and it was the most delicious, moist, tasty pork I have ever eaten! I followed the recipe ingredients, but used apple cider vinegar instead of beer as I decided to shop for my ingredients between the hours of 2 am - 7 am. (by the way, I found online that the largest bottle of Matilda beer is 22 oz or 2.75 cups). I had an 8.3 lb bone-in, skin on pork butt from Smith's and it took me 15 hours in my oven. The only advice I would offer is to stick with basting only 2 - 3 times. I basted more often and did not end up with the 'cracklin' skin. I googled how to make 'cracklin' and the skin needs to be dry for it to truly crisp up as it should.