Miso-Crusted Pork Roast with Apples
Spike Gjerde, the James Beard Award–winning chef at restaurants like A Rake’s Progress in Washington, D.C., and Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, approaches local sourcing with religious fervor. He forgoes olive oil and lemons, using locally grown and pressed oils and vinegars in their place. His team dries mint, lavender, peaches, and cherries—and even makes garlic powder. He refuses to buy from distributors, even when they buy from local growers, because he wants every penny to go the farm. “A lot of people say, ‘Wow, this is harder than I thought.’ Then they just call [giant distributor] Sysco. But it’s why we’re doing it,” Gjerde says. “Our job is to get more value back to growers.” White Rose Miso makes a sweet potato miso that Gjerde loves to feature; substitute red miso if you can’t find it. This pork shoulder makes an impressive meal for very little effort. If your shoulder comes pre-tied, untie before rubbing with miso, then re-tie.
