Smoky Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

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

CAUCASUS-STYLE BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Mince garlic, then mash to a paste with 2 teaspoons kosher salt using a heavy knife. Grind coriander and fenugreek seeds and red-pepper flakes to a powder in grinder, then stir together with garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Make 2-inch-deep slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and push some of paste into slits. Rub remaining paste all over meat. Put pork in a bowl and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.
• Bring meat to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork on all sides, turning with tongs and a large kitchen fork, about 8 minutes total. Transfer pork to a large plate and cook onion in fat remaining in pot, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Return pork to pot and add water and remaining teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly with lid and transfer to oven. Braise, turning meat once, until very tender, about 3 hours. Cool pork in pan juices completely, uncovered, about 1 1/2 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove fat from surface of pan juices and reheat pork (with pan juices), covered, in oven 1 hour. Transfer pork to a platter using cleaned tongs and large fork. Stir cilantro, vinegar, and table salt and pepper to taste into pan juices and serve with pork.

SMOKY BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F In a small bowl combine the kosher salt, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and pepper. Lightly sprinkle pork with the spice mixture, then sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
• In a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Brown pork on all sides; transfer to a platter. Add onions and garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Add orange juice, the 3/4 cup cocoa powder, and 4 cups chicken stock. Return pork to pan, completely submerged. If not completely submerged, add more stock.
• Cover and place in oven. Braise for 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, until the pork is fork tender.
• Remove the pork from Dutch oven to a serving platter. Shave dark chocolate on pork. For sauce, strain the braising liquid then return liquid to pan. Boil, uncovered, over high heat for 10 minutes to concentrate flavors. Sprinkle pork with parsley. Pass sauce with pork.