This was my first hog to attempt to cook. I dont have a smoker so i figure id just kind of wing it in the oven. I decided to go with a nothing fancy, easy to prepare expiremental hog. I pulled out a shoulder from the freezer last night and stuck it in the fridge. Here's how the process went.

1) I made a few slits about 1 inch deep and an inch or so apart along the shoulder. I placed a sprig of fresh rosemary (compliments of Dad's garden) inside each slit.

2) I diced 6 cloves of garlic and sprinkled on the shoulder along with some Tony's. I rubbed and patted this in.

3) i placed this in my foil pan and poured 2 cans of Vegetable Broth in it. I also went ahead and chopped up my onions and potatoes (some store bought reds and some fingerlings from Dad's garden) and placed them aside in a bowl in the fridge.

4) i then covered the pan with foil and put in the oven at 275'F.

5) about every 2 hours i pulled it out and basted the shoulder with the broth.

6) about 7 hours in i added the potatoes and onions. I added some water to cover the potatoes.

7) after another 2 hours i pulled out the veggies and some of the broth and set them on the stove in a pot. i let the veggies slowly cook through all the way since i wasnt sure how much longer the shoulder would need to cook. *Next time, i am going to just leave in the onions and probably not worry about potatoes.

8) after a full 12 hours and thinking the thing would never get tender, i hit the jackpot. I went to flip it over to baste it good and the bones just came right out. i pulled the meat out and used a fork to pull apart the pieces just like i would a brisket.

All in all i am very pleased with the way it turned out, especially since this was my first. Next time i am going to add some salt and pepper. I may also squeeze a lemon on it and add a little bit more garlic and Tony's. Judgin by how my dad and fiance kept sneaking pieces while i was trying to cut it up, im going to say it turned out pretty good. Here's a few pics of the prep and final product:

mmmmmmm looks good

wonderful job! Thank you for including the process too. How much do you think that shoulder weighed?

wow thats looks mmmmmmmmmm good

Nice job man, that looks good!

Did it taste gamey?

I'm not much of a hog cook. What did the rosemary do for you?

Looks good. Would it be a bad idea to raise the heat up a bit so it doesn't take TWELVE HOURS?

I too am very curious about the cooking time and temperature. that should be your next weekends experiment.

Rosemary and garlic is a classic comdination of favors, especially in french cooking. It is very good on meats that generally are not full of flavor themselves (chicken and pork). If you go to the store and smell some fresh rosemary, it tastes exactly like it smells. Just be careful in using too much, it's a strong flavor and very arromatic and a little goes a long way.

Looks great!

Rosemary is certainly a spice that some people love, and some people hate. I can only have it in small doses. The smell is amazing, but when eaten it really kicks the crap outta your senses. I use is in very small measurements.