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Culinary Mysteries Solved

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Published: Apr 17, 2007

Q: Coffee-rubbed pork shoulder is a classic at Range, a great comfort-food eatery in San Francisco. Is there an East Coast version I should be looking for?

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A: Pork shoulders are nothing new for serious barbecuers. At ¡Pasión! (211 S. 15th St., 215-875-9895), chef-owner Guillermo Pernot prepares his carnitas by marinating the pork shoulder for 48 hours, then roasting, braising and shredding it. For the finishing touch, he douses the tender meat with an orange barbecue sauce and tops it with fresh cilantro. At Northeast Philadelphia's Sweet Lucy's Smokehouse (7500 State Road, 215-287-1356), piggies are roasted in an on-site hickory wood smoker. The shoulder cut is then served in an effervescently light secret sauce that goes smashingly well with Lucy's housemade mashed potatoes.

Prefer your porker in sandwich form? George's Sandwich Shop (900 S. Ninth St., 215-592-8363) layers its thinly sliced shoulder on a Sarcone's roll, and then piles it with garlicky broccoli rabe and Wisconsin sharp provolone. And for a more glamorous interpretation, there's always XIX—Nineteen at the Bellevue (200 S. Broad St., 19th floor, 215-790-1919), where Chef Marc Plessis' braised pork shoulder is paired with cabbage, leeks, baby carrots and young celery.

Got a food or drink query? E-mail restaurants@citypaper.net.

 

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