Braised Pork Shoulder With Apple Fig Sauce Recipes

APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F.
• Pat dry the pork with paper towels and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
• To the heated oil add the pork and brown on all sides; about 5 minutes per side.
• Remove pork from the pot and set it aside.
• Add onions to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
• Deglaze the pot with wine.
• Stir in thyme, rosemary, and paprika.
• Add the pork back to the pot.
• Add in the apple cider, chicken broth, and bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil.
• Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.
• Transfer the pork to the oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F and cook for 2 hours.
• Remove lid from the pot and drop in the apples.
• Cover and continue to cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the pork registers at 145˚F.
• Remove from oven and return the pot to the stovetop.
• Remove pork and transfer it to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil; cook for a couple minutes, or until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
• Cut pork and serve with onions, apples, and sauce.

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.