- 6 tablespoons pink peppercorns divided
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (5-pounds) boneless pork shoulder roast (butt end)
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder
- Grind 1/4 cup pink peppercorns with black peppercorns and fennel seeds in grinder, then stir together with garlic, oil, and 1 tablespoon salt.
- Pat pork dry and use a paring knife to make about 16 (1-inch-deep) slits all over roast. Stuff slits with all but 1 tablespoon garlic-peppercorn paste, then rub remaining tablespoon all over roast. Put in a small (13-by 9-inch) flameproof roasting pan and marinate, chilled, 8 to 24 hours.
- Let pork stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
- Roast pork, fat side up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 150°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan. Add vermouth to pan and boil, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, any meat juices from cutting board, and remaining 2 tablespoons pink peppercorns and boil until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 5 minutes.
- Knead together butter and flour, then whisk into sauce and boil, whisking constantly, until just slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Serve pork with sauce.