Roast Pork Shoulder and Rice Dinner

The versatile pork shoulder, also known as a Boston blade roast, can be pot-roasted whole, braised, stewed or barbecued. However you cook the meat, it becomes meltingly tender and flavorful. This is one of Cheryl Tiegs' favorite dinner-party recipes. She likes to serve it with basmati rice. "You're gonna love it," she writes.

• 4- to 6-pound bone-in pork shoulder or rump roast
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 tablespoons flour, divided
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup par-cooked potatoes
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Brush pork with olive oil, salt and pepper, and sear meat in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat or in the oven at 475 degrees. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes per side to brown. Remove pot from oven, remove meat and set aside. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.

In Dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add onions and 2 tablespoons flour. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, tomato sauce, potatoes and stock. Stir until well blended. Return meat to pan. Liquid should go about half the way up the meat.

Roast, uncovered, in a moderately low oven, 325 degrees, until the meat thermometer registers 160 degrees for medium. It should take about 3 hours or 45 minutes per pound. Baste with the sauce several times during roasting so the meat doesn't dry out. Alternatively, place the ingredients in a slow cooker, set it on high and cook for 4 hours. Set the cooker on low and cook until the meat is very tender, at least another 2 hours (6 hours total).

Let meat rest at room temperature about 10 minutes; strain the juices through a fine-mesh strainer. Reserve.

Make gravy by whisking remaining 2 tablespoons of flour in roasting pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken stock or milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until milk-chocolate-colored roux is formed. Add mushrooms and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Stir strained juices into the gravy and enough water, milk or stock to make 2 cups, and simmer until heated through and thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve over the carved roast with basmati rice.

Serves 10 to 12.

- Cheryl Tiegs

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.