Italian Pulled Pork

Step 1

Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using a sharp knife, score fat (but not meat) on pork in a diamond pattern. Pulse herbs, garlic, and fennel seeds in a food processor until combined. Slowly add oil and continue pulsing until a thick paste forms. Stir in 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, chile pepper, and lemon zest; rub mixture all over pork.

Step 3

Place pork, fat-side up, in a roasting pan or a large Dutch oven; add 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and roast until meat is starting to become tender, about 3 hours. Remove lid and continue cooking until meat is fork-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. Carefully transfer pork to a large bowl, leaving juices in pan. When cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Transfer shredded pork back to pot and toss with juices. Serve on rolls with extra pan juices, topped with shaved fennel.