Cocoa Rubbed Pork Shoulder

5
Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)
Cocoa Rubbed Pork Shoulder

This cocoa rub is great on both pork and beef. It is smoky and rich, savory and slightly sweet, and has just enough kick to it. Cocoa powder by itself is not sweet at all, and is very underutilized in savory dishes. It adds a lot of complexity, some bonus antioxidants, and basically no extra calories.

For the sake of meat variation, I rub a pork shoulder. Because pork shoulder can be a slightly fattier cut, look for one with visibly less marbling. Or, you can always substitute a pork loin or chops, or any other cut of beef (tri tip is awesome for this). If you have leftover meat, slice it thin and make sandwiches with BBQ sauce and red onion.

Ingredients: 

1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T brown sugar
1 ½ t black pepper
1 t salt
1 t garlic powder
½ t smoked paprika
½ t crushed red pepper (or more for more spice)

1 pork shoulder, trimmed
1 T olive oil

Instructions: 

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 1.5-2 hrs

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients on a dinner plate, using your fingers to mix well.

Trim visible exterior fat from pork. Pierce meat with a fork on all sides. Roll shoulder in spice rub, patting with hands, until all sides (including ends) are covered. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet. Brown each side of the pork shoulder, creating a nice crusted edge.

Place in the preheated oven for about two hours (check meat temp after about 1.5 hours), until an inserted meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Let rest five minutes before slicing.