Author Notes

My grandmother (yes, I'm mentioning my grandmother again) used to cook her ever-present, giant ham by sticking it in the oven and pouring ginger ale over it every once in a while, as if it had won the Super Bowl. I decided to use a bottle of Matilda beer, a lovely fruity malty ale made here in Chicago, by Goose Island, with maple syrup for some extra sweetness. You'll probably have to special order the rind-on cut; I had a hard time getting one in Chicago, a.k.a Meatland. Strange. The ponderously long cooking time was inspired by The River Cottage Meat Book, a book that I find charmingly revolting. —EmilyNunn

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: ENunn is a writer in Chicago.

WHAT: A tender pork shoulder that is the definition of "slow and low" -- it cooks for 18 hours!

HOW: After mixing up the fennel and garlic marinade, the roast goes in the oven and requires little work save some intermittent basting.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Whether you love crispy skin or falling-apart meat, this showstopper has something for everybody. —The Editors