Dan's Fallin' Apart Pork Pot Roast with Cracked Pepper Gravy

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (5 minutes)

In a mortar, combine 1/4 cup garlic powder, 1/4 cup onion powder, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper. Grind until a fine powder forms. Transfer the spice mix to a large, shallow bowl. (5 minutes)

Inject the pork roast all over with the Creole marinade. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Thoroughly coat the roast with the prepared spice mix, ensuring even coverage. (10 minutes)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and elephant garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden brown and fragrant. Add the spice-crusted pork roast to the skillet and sear on all sides until the spice coating is a rich golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the seared roast to a roasting pan or Dutch oven, fat-side up. Scrape up the browned butter, shallots, and garlic from the skillet and sprinkle them around the roast. (15 minutes)

Arrange the quartered sweet onions, red potatoes, carrots, and celery pieces around the roast in the roasting pan. In the bowl that held the spice rub, mix 1 cup of water with any remaining spice rub. Pour this mixture evenly over the roast and vegetables. (5 minutes)

Cover the roasting pan tightly with a lid and cook in the preheated oven until the meat is incredibly tender and easily pulls apart, approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to 4 hours. (225-240 minutes)

Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Arrange the cooked vegetables around the roast. (5 minutes)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of water, brown gravy mix, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper, and 1 tablespoon onion powder until well combined. Pour this gravy mixture into the roasting pan, using a whisk to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy comes to a boil and thickens to your desired consistency, about 5 minutes. Serve the gravy alongside the roast and vegetables. (10 minutes)