We deeply scored a bone-in pork shoulder and seasoned it with a blend of salt, sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. We placed the shoulder on a wire rack and refrigerated it overnight. The time allowed the seasoning to penetrate the meat and let the outside of the shoulder dry out. The next day, we put the shoulder into a pot and surrounded it with a blend of crushed tomatoes, pepperoni, and red wine. We cooked the semi-submerged shoulder for 8 hours in a 250°F oven. The meat braised in the flavorful tomatoes. The seasoned fat rendered, slowly browned, and dried into a semi-crackling. After the 8ish hours, we removed the shoulder from the braising liquid and let it rest on a platter for 30 minutes. After the rest, we were able to pull the bones out of the shoulder. We carved the shoulder through the scoring lines, serving thick slabs of meat with a generous portion of the seasoned crust to complement the tomato-enriched tender meat. The pepperoni and pork braising liquid became the sauce for a handmade ricotta cavatelli.
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