3 slices bacon
5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder roast
5 peeled garlic cloves (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt, like Alaea Red Hawaiian Coarse Sea Salt (or ~1 tablespoon of Alaea Red Hawaiian Fine Sea Salt)
1 cup water
1 cabbage, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
Whether you use an Instant Pot, a stovetop pressure cooker, or an electric one, the process is pretty much the same. The only difference is that the cooking time will be slightly shorter with a stovetop cooker than with an electric cooker (75 minutes vs. 90 minutes).
First things first: Drape 3 pieces of bacon on the bottom of your pressure cooker. Press the “Sauté" button (if your cooker has one) and in about a minute, your bacon will start sizzling. (If you’re using a stovetop pressure cooker instead, line it with 3 pieces of bacon, crank the burner to medium, and start frying your bacon.)
Grab the pork roast and slice it into 3 equal pieces. I normally cut out the piece with the bone first, and then cut the 2 other pieces to match the first.
If you’ve got some garlic on hand, use it! With a sharp paring knife, stab a few slits in each piece of pork, and tuck in the garlic cloves.
With most recipes, I liberally salt my roasts like it’s raining cats and dogs, but because the pressure cooker can concentrate flavors (including saltiness), I carefully measure out the amount of salt I use. For this recipe, follow Judy Rodger’s rule of thumb: Use 3/4 teaspoon of medium-coarse salt for every 1 pound of meat. (Using fine salt? Use about half that amount.)
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the pork. No Alaea salt? Replace it with smoked salt or good ol’ kosher salt. I won’t tell.
As you’re seasoning the pork, you’ll hear the bacon sputt