👥10 people
⏲️30m
🕐5h 0m
🍽️main meal
Smoked Moroccan-spiced pork shoulder with caramelized, roasted butternut squash for a bold contrast.
Ingredients
- For The Pork Shoulder:
- 4 lb. bone-in pork shoulder (to yield about 2.5 lbs. of cooked meat)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or regular)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For The Brine (Optional):
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups water
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- For Smoking:
- 1 chunk wood (preferably applewood, cherry, or hickory)
- ½ cup apple cider or apple juice (for spritzing)
- For The Squash:
- 2 small butternut squash (about 1½ pounds)
- 13 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 9 garlic cloves, 1 finely grated, 4 chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 2 medium red onions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons vadouvan or curry powder
- 3 radishes, trimmed, very thinly sliced
- 2 cups parsley, mint, and/or cilantro leaves
- For The Garnish:
- 1 medium orange, segmented
- ½ red onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
Method
- For the squash, preheat the Egg to 425°. Roast the squash directly on the oven rack until a paring knife easily slides through the skin and flesh, about 50–65 minutes. Let cool.
- Trim the ends, halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and tear or cut the squash into large pieces, discarding the skin. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, grated garlic, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Caramelize the onions, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced red onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the squash, in the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the squash pieces, cut side down, until browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Turn over, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the lemon-garlic yogurt over the squash. Toss the radishes and herbs with the remaining lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter the mixture over the squash. Finish with a grind or two of pepper.
- Prepare the brine, in a large pot, combine the salt, sugar, and water. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the peppercorns, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat and let it cool completely.
- Once cooled, submerge the pork shoulder in the brine and refrigerate for 6–12 hours (or overnight). After brining, remove the pork from the liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the pork shoulder, Set up your Egg for indirect cooking. Fill the charcoal basket with lump charcoal, and light the grill. You want a stable temperature of about 225–250°.
- Add the wood chunk to the coals. For class, we used applewood. Place the plate setter (convEGGtor) in the Egg for indirect heat, and position the grill grate on top.
- Once the Egg is at the right temperature and the wood is smoking, place the pork shoulder on the grill grate, fat side up. Close the lid and maintain a steady temperature of 225–250° throughout the cooking process.
- Smoke the pork shoulder for 4–6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195–205° (for pulled pork). You can also check for tenderness by inserting a probe or fork; it should feel soft and easily shred when done.
- Every 1–2 hours, spritz the pork shoulder with apple cider or apple juice to keep it moist and enhance the smoky flavor. This is optional but can help develop a beautiful bark on the outside.
- Once the pork reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the Egg and let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring it’s tender and juicy.
- After resting, shred the pork using two forks or your hands (be sure to remove any bones). Toss with the remaining Moroccan spice and taste for salt.
- For the garnish, combine the orange segments, minced red onion, and chiffonade basil in a bowl. Toss gently to combine. Garnish the smoked pork shoulder with the mixture just before serving.
- Serve as is or with your favorite sides like couscous, roasted vegetables, or flatbread. A simple yogurt sauce or tahini dressing would pair wonderfully with the Moroccan spices.
