Grilled Pork With Whole Spices and Garlic Bread
- Total Time
- 40 minutes, plus marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:12 to 16 servings
- ¼cup fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- 4teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1½teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1½teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1½teaspoons black peppercorns
- ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 12garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½teaspoons red-wine vinegar
- 5 to 6pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder or loin, butterflied (see Note)
- Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
- ¾cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks)
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓cup finely minced parsley
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 5garlic cloves, finely grated or pounded into a paste
- 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼teaspoon red-wine vinegar
- Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 2(12-inch) loaves French or Italian bread, halved lengthwise
For the Pork
For the Grilled Garlic Bread
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
732 calories; 54 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 594 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Prepare the pork: Using a mortar and pestle, pound together the thyme, salt, cumin, coriander, fennel, caraway, peppercorns and red-pepper flakes until the spices are well cracked but not ground. (Or do this in a spice grinder, but take care not to grind the spices.) Add garlic, oil and vinegar, and pound into a paste.
- Step 2
Spread paste all over pork, covering the meat thoroughly and evenly. Place the meat on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or an overturned rimmed baking sheet, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to 48 hours (the longer, the better).
- Step 3
Prepare the butter for the garlic bread: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the parsley, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, vinegar and red-pepper flakes, and simmer until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside until ready to grill. If the butter solidifies, place it back on the heat until it liquefies.
- Step 4
Heat the grill or light the coals. Lay the pork out on the grill so it is as flat as possible. Cover grill and let the meat cook until char marks appear on one side, 7 to 12 minutes. Use tongs and a large spatula to flip the meat. Continue to grill on the other side until cooked to taste, 135 degrees for medium, about 5 to 12 minutes longer. (It will continue to cook as it rests.)
- Step 5
Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Step 6
While the pork is resting, grill the garlic bread: Place the halved loaves, cut side down, on the grill, and lightly toast on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip bread and drizzle garlic butter over the toasted side. Let the unbuttered sides of the bread toast, another 1 to 2 minutes. Flip bread and grill once more on the buttered side for about 10 to 20 seconds to sear (take care not to let it burn). Transfer bread to a cutting board and slice into pieces.
- Step 7
Carve pork into slices, and squeeze the lemon or lime wedges over the meat. Serve the pork slices garnished with red-pepper flakes and thyme leaves, with the garlic bread on the side.
Tip
- You can ask your butcher to butterfly the pork for you. Or, if you’re buying the pork from the supermarket, butterfly it yourself. Using your sharpest knife, cut off the skin if there is any. Next, lay the meat out in front of you lengthwise. You will see a thinner part running vertically at the center, where the bone was, and two thicker parts at each end. Holding your knife perpendicular to the meat, cut through the thick parts to create a flap, and open each one like a book. Your aim is to create a relatively even rectangular slab of meat about 1 to 2 inches thick. If the meat is too awkward to handle, you can cut it into pieces. It will grill up just fine.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Rima
Butt is NOT the German word for shoulder, schulter is. Butt is not a word in German. Pork shoulder is called Boston Butt because the pork was shipped around New England in wooden barrels called BUTTS
A
Melissa, this looks great - and I have a pork shoulder in my freezer. But can you provide any direction about how hot a grill one should use? I have a Weber gas barbecue and would like to know if I should be cooking the pork shoulder at high, medium-high, etc. (or some combination - starting with high heat to char outsides, then cooking through at a lower temperature). Thanks, as always, for the terrific recipes.
David Baldwin
I want to draw attention to Melissa's instruction, in step 2, that you can use an overturned rimmed baking sheet to cover the pork while it marinates. This is much preferable to covering with plastic wrap, which we should all be using as little as possible.
Bob Johnston
Better yet, if cooking low and slow with indirect heat, use the “indirect sear” method. Don’t start with searing the meat, start over indirect heat and bring it to within 15-20 degrees of desired final internal temp., say 115-120 for 135 degrees. Then, finish it over direct heat - either directly over the coals or on the hottest part of a gas grill. The hotter the better. This gives you the char and it’s flavor, while leaving the meat evenly cooked throughout. Works great for steaks.
Bob Johnston
Rebecca: searing first to seal in juices is an old myth. It’s important to brown meat first for the flavor if you’re, say, braising, but on the grill it gives you an outer layer of well done meat that just gets thicker as you continue cooking to get the center done. Reverse searing at the end gives you the flavorful sear with less over cooked meat. And it’s still juicy. Credit where due, this method comes from Meathead Goldwyn at the AmazingRibs website. It works.
Alan
You missed where it says "(it will continue to cook as it rests)." The heat from the outside of the meat will move toward the center. Even if it doesn't reach 145, you will be fine.
William Wroblicka
The introduction to the recipe says you can "roast the pork in a 500-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping it halfway. Then run it under the broiler at the end to sear the fat."
kathy in france
I made this, and since it’s the beginning of apricot season, served it with Nigel Slater’s Apricot Couscous (Kitchen Diaries II). Rather tasty!
David Gomez Pearlberg
I wanna do this in the oven instead....any tips on temp and time?
Angel Cruz
Butt is a German word for shoulder.
Paul
I would think slow cooking is the way to go.
Tom
Melissa, forgive the ignorance, but is pork shoulder the same as pork butt or another cut?
bobbie
Loved this - had smaller piece of pork & halved the receipe & it was delicious!
Dorothy
This has become my go-to grill recipe when we have guests. Comes out great every time. We typically need to grill it longer, mostly due to my improper butterflying technique making it too thick in spots.
marta
Made with pork tenderloin and it was delicious. Tom really liked it!
Sam
This is fantastic. Highly recommend a pork shoulder, and keep the fat cap. Shoulder takes a while longer than loin to cook, but it's just so much more delicious. Plus almost impossible to dry out. The salt amount is fine. I wonder if it's an issue with Diamond Crystal (which is what I assume they're asking for, and what I used) vs everything else which is twice as salty. Also, I'm lazy. No mortar and pestle fuss. Used a spice grinder and 8oz blender cup to make the paste.
Jennifer
Amazingly good. We used a 4 lb pork loin, after talking it over with the butcher, decided not to butterfly it. On our gas grill we seared it for a few minutes on each side on 500 -550 degrees. Then turned down the grill to 300 deg., closed the lid with a two inch opening, and cooked for another 40 minutes or so. Perfectly cooked, no dryness, tons of flavor. The family couldn't stop raving. And don't skip the garlic bread!!
Nina B
Forget the salt!! I cooked 3 lbs, so cut the recipe in half. 2 tsp salt took it over the top.
Rachael Heath
This was great- such amazing flavor! I used a pork loin for the cut. It rested for 48 hours and the meat was flavorful throughout. Grill time was a little shorter for us. Easy recipe. Did garlic bread the first night and the next night had it thinly sliced with sautéed peppers and onions in fajitas! Made some great leftovers. Fed a party of 5 and then two dinners for two after that.
Kaliek
Made this with a pork loin roast on the grill this weekend. The flavor of the whole spices is amazing. The Coriander and Cumin together are great. I served it with roasted fennel to up the fennel flavor. Even better the second day. This recipe will be going into rotation.
TT
Have made this multiple times as it's easy to put together and delish. As an alternative approach for weeknights, I pounded two skinless chicken breasts and used this marinade. Grilled over charcoal, tent with foil and let rest for several minutes and then sliced very thin. Excellent. Then the next night used remaining chicken slices on a salad with Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons. Even bigger hit with the family.
amy
Did anyone use a traeger smoke it first? If so, how long and what temperature. Thank you!
cathydellinger
Ok. What’s the consensus?? Shoulder or loin? Planning on making this for an annual harvest gathering in August. Totally fits the bill. Replies are very much appreciated.
cathydellinger
So what’s the consensus?? Shoulder or loin?? I’m planning on doing this for an annual harvest gathering. Sounds like it will totally fit the bill. Comments so appreciated.
PatC
Absolutely Outstanding!! Made just as written grilled over charcoal. Didn’t make the garlic bread. Accompanied with charred romaine Caesar and yogurt dressed potato salad. Fantastic backyard Sunday meal.
Lauren
I made this tonight with four small pork loin cuts to equal 4 1/2 lbs. I had had it marinating for two days due to being busy etc, in a covered container in my fridge. I agree it was a mite salty for my taste. It came out tender and juicy. Cooked it to 135-140 then let rest. For garlic bread I think next time I’d take all ingredients but butter and oil and combine first in my mini-chop. Also: wondered about that last flip to “seat” the business side—most solids fell into the grill. Hmm.
Janine
Excellent, But very salty, all agreed. I would cut it to 2-3tsp next time.
Baxter
Did you use kosher salt or table salt? No way 4 tspns of kosher sat on 5-6 lbs of meat would ever be salty.
hlennox
Made this tonight with 2 1.5lb pork loins that I “butterflied”. Marinated only about 3 hours and cooked on super hot grill in about 15 minutes total. Easily the best grilled pork I’ve ever made!
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