Pork Shoulder with Salsa Verde

We camp for weeks at a time. During our time out in the woods we cook almost every meal over the campfire. Needless to say I know my way around a campfire. My family and friends love the creations which appear from our campfire grill. I do grill hot dogs, chicken, burgers and other standard fare on the grill but when company is coming that is when I bring out my Dutch Oven.

My Dutch Oven is probably most used pot around our campfire. I am very personal about my Dutch Oven. It has received nothing but the best care since the day I bought it. When it is not in use, it is stored in a heavy wooden box which I made just for that purpose. I spent the better part of a week properly seasoning the cast iron and only I can clean it after cooking.

I use a 6qt. Twelve inch diameterLodge Campfire Dutch Oven. I have found this size to be both manageable as to weight and size capacity. The larger eight-quart Dutch Oven is just too heavy at twenty pounds for the oven and then when you add the meal it is not manageable. The smaller ovens burn the food too fast, so the six quart is perfect in size and weight.

Most of my Dutch Oven recipes are what I call "put on and leave" recipes. They require several hours of cooking so if the fire has been built correctly, the oven will just sit on the grill over the coals. I never place my oven into the coals and bury it as many recipes call for doing. I have tried that method and found it to be messy and demanding of my time. I like to prepare the recipe, place it in the oven, put it on the grill and leave it alone.

The Roasted Pork Shoulder With Salsa Verde is to be served with warm tortillas. You can warm your tortillas right over the fire giving them a wonderful smokey flavor. I use Penzeys Spices in place of fresh herbs which I would use at home.

Salsa Verde

1 garlic clove peeled and minced

2 TBSP Penzeys Herb Mix

½ cup lightly packed chopped celery leaves

3/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 ½ TBSP lemon juice

1 TSBP finely grated lemon peel

1 TSBP red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and lightly mix together. Cover and refrigerate at least overnight. Seasoning with salt, and red pepper is optional. Note. This salsa keeps well and can be made several days before.

Pork Shoulder

Select a four to five pound bone in pork shoulder or Boston Butt Roast.

1 TBSN olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced.

3 TBSN of Penzeys Heb Mix

1 TBSN kosher salt

2 TSPN black pepper

Cover the pork shoulder with the olive oil. Combine all ingredients and rub them into the pork shoulder.

Place pork shoulder in the Dutch Oven, cover and put over the campfire. I build a bed of coals up to about a foot from the grill, making certain that the bed is at least twice the diameter of the oven. Cooking time will be about four hours. Check the meat, and when it falls apart easily it is done.

Take two large serving forks and shred the meat. I will serve the meat right in the Dutch Oven and the juices from cooking.