Mix dry rub ingredients well and store in an air tight container.
Brine Solution – Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all
the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub,
and bay leaves and stir well to combine.
Pork shoulder preparation:
Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container,
pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered.
Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Then remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper
towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least
a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub
onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to
the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is
facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree
oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or
thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the
temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm
function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven
until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees. When the shoulder
has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a
couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan
is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to
retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the
temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven.
Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove
the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks,
it will pull apart very easily. Serve for friends and family! 🙂