Forever roasted pork

“I call this ‘Forever Roasted Pork’ because it takes (almost) forever to roast, about eight hours,” Chiarello writes. “The meat is well seasoned and cooked in a slow oven until it is so tender it shreds. Once it’s done, I challenge you not to stand at the kitchen counter and pick.” The Fennel Spice Rub is available at napastyle.com.

Serves 6

2 medium onions, peeled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Gray salt and freshly ground pepper

1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

½ cup water

4 pounds pork leg or shoulder, at room temperature

About ¼ cup Fennel Spice Rub

Thinly slice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot.

Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sage and cook until the onions cease throwing off water, about 3 minutes.

Add the water, cover and cook until the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and sauté until the onions are very soft and the pan is dry again, about 2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Peel back the pork skin and spread the onions directly on the fat layer. Fold the skin back over the onions and tie closed with kitchen string. Season well all over with the fennel spice.

Arrange the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and cook until the meat is very tender, 6 to 8 hours. It is ready when it pulls away easily if picked at with a pair of tongs. It is often easiest to cook the meat overnight, or put it in the oven in the morning and let it cook all day. It does not need to be attended.