Thyme & Basil Roast Pork -- The Sunday Meal That Made Me Forget the Fourth Quarter

We lost our first game of the season Friday. 21-17. I've been coaching long enough to know that a loss this early in the year, if you let it teach you, is worth more than three wins. I'm not sure I fully believe that right now — Sunday morning, coffee going cold, film tablet on the table — but I've said it to players enough times that I'm obligated to believe it myself.

The loss came down to two plays in the fourth quarter. Both of them were execution failures, not scheme failures. That's actually the harder kind to sit with. When your scheme fails you adjust the scheme. When your guys fail to execute a play they've run a hundred times in practice, you ask yourself what you missed in preparation. Were they tired? Overconditioned? Did I put in too much that week? I'll be watching film until I know.

On Saturday I took Marco and Elena to the farmers market. They're five, which means they have strong opinions about everything and no filter whatsoever. Marco wanted to stop at every booth. Elena wanted to go home and watch cartoons. They compromised by running ahead of me and then circling back, which is basically parenting in a nutshell.

I bought a pork shoulder and made carnitas Sunday afternoon. Low and slow in the Dutch oven with orange, cumin, and oregano. When it's done right it shreds apart like it was always meant to be shredded — like the fibers were just waiting for permission. I crisped it up under the broiler, which is the step that separates carnitas from pulled pork. Lisa made flour tortillas from scratch. The kids built their own tacos. We ate too much and I forgot about the fourth quarter for a while.

Bounce back week starts Monday. That's what we're calling it.

The pork shoulder I grabbed at the farmers market on Saturday was always going to be Sunday’s project — something low and slow that matched the pace I needed after a sleepless Friday night with the film tablet. Thyme, basil, and a good sear before the long roast: that’s the kind of disciplined, layered cooking that rewards patience, and after a loss that came down to execution in the fourth quarter, I needed to be reminded that doing the fundamentals right still produces something worth having. Lisa and the kids made it a whole thing, and that’s exactly what it needed to be.

Thyme & Basil Roast Pork

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 to 3 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder (butt roast)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 325°F. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and set aside.
2. Make the herb rub. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and orange zest. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to form a paste.
3. Sear the pork. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shoulder on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove from heat.
4. Apply the rub. Rub the herb paste all over the seared pork, pressing it into any crevices. Pour the orange juice and chicken broth into the bottom of the Dutch oven around (not over) the pork.
5. Roast low and slow. Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and roast in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and registers at least 195°F internally for easy shredding.
6. Rest and shred. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Shred with two forks, discarding any large fat pieces. Toss the shredded pork with a few spoonfuls of the pan drippings.
7. Crisp under the broiler (optional but recommended). Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil on high for 4–5 minutes until the edges are caramelized and slightly crisped. Watch closely.
8. Serve. Pile into warm flour or corn tortillas with your preferred toppings: diced white onion, fresh cilantro, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 23g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 420mg