Hot Slow-Roasted Pork, Onion, and Mozzarella Sandwiches

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These sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food.  It's the perfect sandwich for an early Sunday dinner while watching a game.  This baked pork is my most favorite, and I have made it also by itself with other vegetable sides for a meal.  Delicious!  If you can, splurge on a nice cut of pork shoulder with the bone in...makes a huge difference.  Enjoy!

Hot Slow-Roasted Pork, Onion and Mozzarella Sandwiches

Pork

• 5 large garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tspns. coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tspns. dried basil
• 2 tspns. dried oregano
• 2 tspns. dried rosemary
• 1 tspn. dried sage
• 1 tspn. fennel seeds, ground in a mortar with pestle or spice grinder
• 1 tspn. black pepper
• 1 9lb whole pork shoulder with bone
• 1 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

Vegetables

• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1lb. onions, halved, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1lb. red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
• 1/2lb. green bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
• 10 crusty rolls, split, toasted
• 1 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

-For the Pork:  Chop garlic.  Sprinkle the garlic with 1 1/2 tspns. kosher salt and mince until paste forms.  Transfer the paste to a small bowl; mix in parsley and next 7 ingredients. 

Using a small sharp knife, make 20 evenly spaced 1 inch long, 2 inch-deep slits in pork.  Stuff seasoning mixture into slits. Sprinkle outside of pork with salt and pepper.  Let stand for 1 hour for seasonings to penetrate. 

 

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees.  Place rack in large roasting pan; place pork on rack.  Roast until the thermometer inserted into the thickest park registers 170 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours.  Let pork rest 30 minutes.  Transfer to work surface.  Maintain oven temperature and reserve roasting pan.  Thickly slice pork off the bone.  Coarsely chop or tear slices and place in a large baking dish; cover with foil. 

 

Pour juices from roasting pan into 4 cup measuring cup.  Spoon off fat.  If necessary, add enough water to loosen juices to measure 2 cups.  Stir 2 Tbs. juices and cornstarch in small saucepan until cornstarch dissolves; whisk in remaining juices and vinegar.  Whisk over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-For the vegetables: Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and all peppers; saute until vegetables are tender and brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Arrange roll bottoms on work surface; mound with warm pork and drizzle with sauce.  Cover with cheese, vegetables, and roll tops.  Server warm.