Sweet Pickle Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Pat pork dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides, taking care not to get the oil too hot. Remove the meat to a platter.
• Add onions and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, apple cider and chicken broth. Nestle the pork shoulder in the pot (fat-side up). Cover the pot.
• Roast the pork shoulder in a 325°F oven for about 3-3 ½ hours, basting with cooking liquid every hour or so (if possible). The pork is done when the meat is falling off the bone (an internal temperature of about 205°F). Remove bay leaf and herb stems.
• Transfer the pork to a large cutting board. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks (discarding fatty pieces), and spoon plenty of that delicious cider cooking liquid and onions over top.

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

ITALIAN BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Rinse and dry pork roast. Season all sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast to the hot skillet; turn and sear until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a large lidded baking dish, leaving pan drippings in the skillet.
• Add carrots, onion, shallot, and garlic to the hot skillet and reduce heat to medium. Saute in the pan drippings until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes; do not overcook.
• Pour red wine, beef broth, and tomato puree over the roast in the baking dish. Add sauteed vegetables, parsley, and thyme.
• Cover and bake in the preheated oven until meat pulls apart easily, 2 to 3 hours.

SWEET PICKLE BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Pat the pork dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Add the relish, barbecue sauce, and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise the pork, turning over once, until the center is tender but not falling apart when pierced with a paring knife, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil.
• Strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a bowl and discard the solids. Skim the fat that collects on the surface and cover the bowl to keep the liquid warm.
• Cut the meat across the grain into 6 slices. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12 inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sear the pork slices in batches, until browned on each side.
• Transfer the pork to plates and spoon some braising liquid over the top.

ASIAN BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Coat a large wide ovenproof pan or Dutch oven with olive oil and bring the pan to high heat. Sprinkle the pork with salt and brown it on all sides. Remove from the pan and reserve.
• Ditch the fat from the pan and add a few drops of fresh oil. Toss in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and rice vinegar and reduce by half. Add the 3 cups chicken stock, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sambal, star anise, orange zest and juice. Stir to combine, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Taste to make sure it is delicious and adjust the seasoning if needed.
• Return the pork to the pan, cover and put in the oven. Braise the pork for 2 hours, turning it over once. If the liquid reduces too much during the cooking process, add the remaining 1 cup chicken stock. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• When the pork is VERY tender, remove the pan from the oven. Remove the pork, place the pan over medium heat, bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces to a sticky sauce consistency.
• Serve the pork draped with the sauce.

BRAISED PORK IN SWEET SOY SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the pork in about 1 inch pieces and saute in a pan with the vegetable oil for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat, until the pork is no longer pink and starts to brown.
• In a medium bowl mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the pork and bring to a boil. You may think there's too much water, but it will reduce. Once it's boiling turn the heat down to low and let simmer for about 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, or until there's only about 3 tbsp of sauce left.
• Garnish with green onions. Serve over noodles or steamed rice.

BRAISED HAWAIIAN PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Special Equipment: Butcher's twine
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, Hawaiian salt, paprika, cumin, coriander and black pepper.
• Cut the pork into 4 equal portions, then tie each cut with some butcher's twine. Lightly sprinkle each piece with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the spice mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear each cut of pork on all sides, then transfer them to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil to the same pot along with the onions, ginger, and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Pour in the pineapple juice and chicken stock and return the pork to the pot. Cover put the pot into the oven to braise until the pork is fork tender, about for 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and arrange the pieces on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each piece with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture and put them under a low broiler until their tops are brown and crisp but not burned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a serving platter and serve with a drizzle of braising liquid.
• Serve the pork with the Mashed Parsnips and Celery Root, if desired.

BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH QUINCE

Steps:

• Stir paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, coriander, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Spread spice mixture all over pork shoulder. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt butter with oil in heavy large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot and reduce heat to medium. Add quince to pot. Sauté until cut sides are lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer quince to bowl. Add onions, celery, and carrot to pot. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; auté1 minute. Add pomegranate juice and chicken broth. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add red currant jelly, bay leaves, and thyme, then quince. Return pork to pot, fat side up. Cover pot with foil, then lid; place in oven.
• Braise pork until very tender and thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F, basting occasionally, about 2 hours 15 minutes. Cool pork uncovered at room temperature 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and chill at least 1 day and up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer pork to work surface. Cut off string. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Overlap slices in 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Using slotted spoon, arrange vegetables and quince around pork. Boil juices in pot until thickened enough to coat spoon, about 15 minutes. Season with coarse kosher salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Pour over pork. Cover and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle pork with chopped mint; surround with lemon wedges and serve.