Hard Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

PORK SHOULDER BRAISED IN HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Make Sachet d'Epices:Wrap the thyme, parsley, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie with twine to form a sachet.
• Brown Pork:Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat pork dry, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or other pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat for 2 minutes, then add enough oil to barely coat bottom of pot and heat until shimmering. Cook the pork until well browned on all sides, turning with tongs once each side is seared (remember not to move the meat too soon or it will not brown properly and will stick to the pot; wait until it releases easily). This will take a total of 12 to 15 minutes; reduce the heat if the bottom of the pot is getting too dark (you want browned, not burned, bits for flavoring the sauce). If, after removing the pork, you see burned bits, wipe out the pot and add more oil before proceeding. (Or deglaze pot with a little water, bringing it to a boil and scraping up the burned bits; pour off liquid and bits.)
• Cook Aromatics:Reduce heat to medium and add leek, garlic, parsnip, and celery root. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook until leek is translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Braise Pork:Return pork to pot, and pour in 1 cup cider. Bring to a boil, and deglaze pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Add remaining 3 cups cider and the stock along with the herb sachet. (The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the pork; add more stock if it doesn't.) Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover, and put in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cook until the pork is very tender (it should offer little resistance when pierced with a knife), 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning over with tongs about halfway through so the meat cooks evenly.
• Finish Braising with Garnish Vegetables:Transfer the meat to a plate and strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extractas much liquid as possible (discard solids). Return the liquid and the pork to the pot and add the garnish vegetables, nestling them into the liquid; the liquid should almost reach top of vegetables. Bring to a boil on the stove, and then return to oven and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Lift out the vegetables and arrange them on a serving platter. Transfer pork to another plate. Cover both and keep warm near the stove.
• Make a Beurre Manie:Rub the softened butter together with the flour until completely incorporated. Pour off and measure the cooking liquid remaining in the pot; you should have about 2 cups. Return it to the pot and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the beurre manie and continue whisking until the liquid comes to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 minute (to remove the raw starchy taste). Turn off the heat and stir in the cream (if using) and mustard.
• Serve:Use a fork to shred the meat into large chunks. Transfer to platter with vegetables. Serve with sauce and more mustard on the side.

ON RACH'S HOLIDAY FAMILY DINNER MENU: HARD CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300˚F
• Bring the pork to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels; season liberally all over with salt
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil, two turns of the pan, over medium-high
• Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides
• Transfer the pork to a platter or a baking sheet
• Add the onions, herbs, bay leaf, and juniper berries, if using, to the Dutch oven
• Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes
• Add the vinegar and cook, stirring often, until it evaporates, about 1 minute
• Stir in the Worcestershire and cider
• Add the pork back to the pot
• Cover and braise until the meat is fork-tender, about 2½ hours
• Transfer the pork to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm
• Put the Dutch oven back on the stovetop and bring the juices to a simmer over medium heat
• Simmer until the juices are reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes
• Whisk in the crème fraiche, add the pork to the sauce, and reduce the heat to low
• Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes more
• Remove the bay leaf
• Serve the pork on top of the Garlicky Mashed Potatoes & Parsnips
• Top with the chives

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Generously salt all sides of the pork shoulder chunks. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces until surface is seared and crusty, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pork to a plate. Add onions to oil and reduce heat to medium and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add torn sage leaves; cook until onions soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Pour cider into pot; stir to deglaze bottom. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low.
• Transfer pork shoulder pieces to cider mixture. Cover; simmer gently on low 1 hour. Remove lid and turn pieces over. Cover; simmer on low until meat is fork tender, 1 to 2 more hours. Transfer pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Raise heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer. Whisk in creme fraiche. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of cayenne. Transfer pork back to pot; reduce heat to low. Baste pork with sauce while it heats through and becomes perfectly tender, and the sauce is as thick as you want it, about 15 more minutes.

BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder, grind the coriander and cumin seeds until they are a fine powder.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the pork shoulder with the ground spices and salt, then tie each piece so they cook evenly.
• Coat a Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Brown the first pork on all sides. Remove the pork from the pan and reserve. Ditch the fat in the pan and give a few drops of new oil. Repeat with the second pork and remove.
• Lower the heat to medium and toss in the fennel and onions and season them with salt and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Cook the onions and fennel until they are soft and very aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.
• Add the wine and reduce by half. Stir in the mustard and add the bay leaves and thyme. Return the pork to the Dutch oven and add stock to the pan until it comes halfway up the side of the pork. Add salt if needed. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and put the Dutch oven in the preheated oven.
• After 1 hour, turn the pork over and add more liquid to the pan if the liquid level has gone down. Cover and return to the oven for 1 hour.
• Turn the pork back over and return to the oven without the lid and cook for 45 more minutes. The liquid should concentrate.
• Remove the pan from the oven, remove the pork and reserve for 15 minutes, tented with aluminum foil. Skim any excess fat from the pan and reduce the pan juices, if needed.
• Slice the pork and serve with onions, fennel and juices.
• Wine Pairing Suggestion: Pinot Grigio

SLOW-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CIDER & PARSNIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large lidded flameproof casserole and brown the meat in batches, then set aside. Fry the onions, celery and parsnips with the bay leaves for 10 mins until golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and give a good stir, then add the pork and any juices back to the dish.
• Add the cider and stock so that the meat and vegetables are covered. Season and bring to a simmer, then cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs. Serve sprinkled with parsley, with mashed potato and greens, if you like.

BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Generously salt and pepper the pork shoulder and let meat come to room temperature (about 2 hours) Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Add olive oil to a large, deep pan, Over medium-high heat, sear pork until brown on all sides; set aside.
• Dump excess oil from pan, leaving a coating of oil.
• Add onions to pan and sweat over low heat until translucent.
• Return pork to pan and add remaining ingredients.
• Cover and place in oven, and cook for 2 to 3 hours (internal temperature should be about 140-150°F) or cook on stove top for 2 to 3 hours over low heat.
• Remove pork from pan and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with a starch and vegetables.

PORK ROAST WITH HARD CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear on all sides in the hot pan until golden brown; set aside. Add the onions and apples and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to caramelize, then pour in the hard cider and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and nestle the browned pork roast back into the pan. Cover with a lid and put in the oven to braise until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pork roast from the pot and transfer to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender and puree, then return the puree to the pan. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, then reduce the heat to low and add more cider if gravy is too thick. Add the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, whisking constantly as it melts. Remove from heat when the gravy is smooth and shiny and the butter is completely melted.
• Slice pork loin roast and arrange on a serving platter. Serve with sauce and enjoy!

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
• Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
• Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork.
• Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.
• Cooks' note:· Pork can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. Reheat in liquid, covered, at 325°F 1 hour.

PORK SHOULDER BRAISED IN HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Make sachet d'epice Wrap the thyme, parsley, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie with twine to form a sachet.
• Brown pork Heat the oven to 400°F. Use paper towels to pat pork dry, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or other pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat for 2 minutes, then add enough oil to barely coat bottom of pot and heat until shimmering. Cook the pork until well browned on all sides, turning with tongs once each side is seared (remember not to move the meat too soon or it will not brown properly and will stick to pot; wait until it releases easily). This will take a total of 12 to 15 minutes; reduce the heat if the bottom of the pot is getting too dark (you want browned, not burnt, bits for flavoring the sauce). If, after removing the pork, you see burned bits, wipe out the pot and add more oil before proceeding. (Or deglaze pot with a little water, bringing it to a boil and scraping up the browned bits; then pour off liquid and bits.)
• Cook aromatics Reduce heat to medium and add the leek, garlic, parsnip, and celery root. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook until leek is translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Braise pork Return pork to pot, and pour in 1 cup cider. Bring to a boil, and deglaze pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Add remaining 3 cups cider and the stock along with the herb achet. (The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the pork; add more stock if it doesn't.) Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover, and put in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Cook until the pork is very tender (it should offer little resistance when pierced with a knife), 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning over with tongs about halfway through so the meat cooks evenly.
• Finish braising with garnish vegetables Transfer the meat to a plate and strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible (discard solids). Return the liquid and the pork to the pot and add the garnish vegetables, nestling them into the liquid (the liquid should almost reach top of vegetables). Bring to a boil on the stove then return to oven and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Lift out the vegetables and arrange them on a serving platter. Transfer pork to another plate. Cover both and keep warm near the stove.
• Finish sauce Make a beurre manié: rub the softened butter together with the flour until completely incorporated. Pour off and measure the cooking liquid remaining in the pot; you should have about 2 cups. Return it to the pot and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the beurre manié and continue whisking until the liquid comes to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 minute (to remove the raw starchy taste). Turn off the heat and stir in the cream (if using) and mustard.
• Serve Use a fork to shred the meat into large chunks. Transfer to platter with vegetables. Serve with sauce and more mustard on the side.
• Pork shoulder (also called pork butt) is available bone-in or boneless; you can use either for this preparation.
• Hard cider, or fermented apple juice, is a popular beverage in England and parts of France (notably Brittany and Normandy), where (like wine and beer) it is also used in cooking. If you prefer a nonalcoholic substitute, use a combination of chicken stock and sparkling apple cider (no more than half cider, or the dish will be too sweet) instead.
• Heavy cream is stirred into the sauce at the end to add richness, but you can omit it if you like.

HARD CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Rinse the pork and pat it dry. Using a thin, sharp boning knife, make ten to twelve deep, narrow slits in the pork and insert a sliver of garlic into each. Season the meat generously all over with salt and pepper, and then use kitchen twine to tie the shoulder into a compact, uniform shape. If it isn't already, allow it to come to room temperature.
• Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork on all sides, taking your time, turning it frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Done properly, this will take about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Transfer the pork to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and add the onion, carrot, and apple. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat until they are golden brown and soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add both ciders and the halved head of garlic, and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pan. Put a piece of parchment or aluminum foil over the meat, folding it down around it so that it makes a snug tent. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the middle of the oven. Cook until the pork is very tender, about 3 hours, turning it once or twice to keep all sides moist.
• Transfer the meat to a platter to rest before slicing. Strain the broth, discarding the apple and vegetables. Skim the fat from the pan juices and return the juices to the pan. Over medium heat, reduce to about 2 cups. Adjust the seasoning, and serve with the pork.

BRAISED & BARBECUED PORK SHOULDER WITH CIDER KETCHUP

Steps:

• The day before, use a very sharp knife to cut the skin away from the pork, being careful to leave the fat attached to the meat (or ask your butcher to do this). If not done already, score the skin in a criss-cross pattern, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Season the skin liberally with salt and put on a plate in the fridge, uncovered, to dry overnight.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the onions, bay, thyme, garlic and fennel seeds in a large flameproof casserole dish. Season the meat liberally, then nestle it into the tin. Pour over the cider, pop on the lid and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove from the oven and, once cooled slightly, place the pork on a tray or in a container. Pour the liquid into a jug, cover and put everything in the fridge to chill overnight.
• The next day, lift off any fat that has hardened on the surface of the braising liquid, then spoon it back into the dish with the vegetables. Add the vinegar, apples and sugar, and simmer for 1 hr. Leave to cool slightly, then remove the herbs and garlic. Blitz in a blender and taste for seasoning - you want a balance of sweet and sharp, so adjust the sugar and vinegar if you need to, then pour through a sieve to make a thick, pureéd ketchup.
• To reheat the pork and make the crackling, fire up the barbecue or heat the oven to its highest setting. If cooking outside, lay the crackling on the grates and cook, turning occasionally, until it is puffed up and golden, while the pork is on the other side of the barbecue, heating through and nicely browning. Leave to rest for 10 mins before bringing to the table and carving. If cooking in the oven, lay the crackling on a wire rack over a baking tray on the top shelf and cook until crisp, while the pork reheats and browns underneath. If necessary, turn on the grill while the pork rests to really crisp up the crackling.