2 to 4pounds of bone-in pork, like shoulder, thawed
4–8 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4quarts water
1 16–ounce bag dried wide egg noodles
Instructions
Put a large lidded pot like a Dutch oven on the stove and turn the heat to high. Adjust ventilation as needed, because this may produce wisps of smoke.
Salt and pepper the meat on both sides. Add enough vegetable oil to liberally coat pot bottom. When oil is rippling hot, add meat to pan. If you have a splatter screen, put it over the pot. (A cracked lid works but retains moisture, which impedes browning.)
Turn the meat every 5 minutes or so until it is deeply caramelized, craggy brown, about 40 minutes. Watch it for signs of burning, which can be eased by lowering the heat and adding more oil.
When it’s emphatically browned, pour enough water into the pot to just cover the meat. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat until it burbles, medium-low.
Let it cook, turning the meat every hour with tongs. When the bone falls out when you try to turn it, it’s done. Depending on thickness of the meat, that could be 90 minutes to four hours. Let it cool and refrigerate. Note: This recipe can be made ahead to this point, cooled, and finished up to a week later.
Remove most of the fat congealed on the surface into a small bowl. Take out meat, shred, and eliminate anything you don’t want: bone, sinew, fat blobs, whatever you don’t want eaters to find in their bowl.
If you don’t have eight cups of broth left in the pot, add water until you do. Heat broth to a boil, and add egg noodles and shredded pork.
Cook until noodles are ready, about 10 minutes, and serve. Sour cream or full-fat yogurt are popular accompaniments.