Pork Shoulder with Sautéed Kale

First thing we have to do is marinade the pork. We'll need garlic, cumin, smoked Serrano (my new favorite spice), oregano, and lime juice.


If you'll notice, the skin is still on this one. That's a good thing, but you'll need to makes some slits in the skin to help it render and give its flavor to the roast (also, isn't that roast so cute? Only 2.5 pounds, with the bone still in!).


Combine marinade, coat the shoulder, and keep in the fridge overnight, turning every few hours.


Bring to room temperature, place in a dutch oven, and put more lime juice, water, and some white vinegar around the shoulder (only a quarter inch or so). Roast at 250 degrees, for about an hour a pound, or until it gets to around 160 degrees. Remember it will keep cooking when you take it out of the oven, so you can pull it at 155.


Now, we're going to want to make a tomatillo sauce for the pork, so you'll need onion, garlic, a chipotle pepper, and tomatillos.


Peel the paper off the tomatillos, and give them a rough chop. Peeling them under some running water helps get the paper off.


Sautee the aromatics, and throw it all in a food processor. Season to taste; add some chicken stock to loosen it up, if needs be.


Hey, looks like the shoulder is done. Let it rest while you work on the kale.


Ooookaaaay. Time for the kale. Onion, garlic, paprika, kale, BACON!


Chop and fry up the bacon.


In the bacon fat, sauté the onion and garlic with the paprika. Meanwhile, blanch and shock the kale (i.e. put in salted boiling water for one minute, then drain and run cold water over it).


Add blanched kale and bacon. Toss to combine, and season to taste.


Pull, slice, or chop the roast however you see fit. Serve over tomatillo sauce, and with the kale.