Cider Braised Pork Butt Roast With Apples Recipes

APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven until almost smoking. Brown pork on all sides in the hot oil. Transfer browned pork to a plate and discard fat.
• Add apple cider, onion, salt, and pork to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove pork and place on a cutting board. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice and place on a serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Core apples and cut into wedges. Cut dried apricots in half (if not already in pieces).
• Add apples, apricots, cardamom, and cinnamon to the dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until fruit in tender, about 5 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer apples and apricots to the serving platter. Re-cover with foil to keep warm until serving.
• Bring the juices in the Dutch oven to a gentle boil and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Spoon cider sauce over meat and fruit or serve on the side.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK BUTT ROAST WITH APPLES

Steps:

• Eighteen to 24 hours before cooking, combine brown sugar and kosher salt and set aside. Trim fat cap, if necessary, leaving about 1/8". Using a sharp knife, cut 1" crosshatch pattern, 1/16" deep, in the fat cap. Place roast on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Rub the sugar/salt mixture over the entire roast and into slits. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap, place on a plate and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 275° convection. Unwrap the roast and pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any excess sugar/salt mixture. Season with black pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or other oven proof pot with lid) over medium high heat. Sear roast until browned on all sides.
• Remove roast and add onion, fennel, and garlic to pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or more until onion becomes translucent.
• Add mustard, cider, chicken stock, vinegar, thyme, bay leaves and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil.
• Return meat to pan and return to simmering. Cover, transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender, about 3 hours. Meat should register 195 to 200° and the bone is loose and can be easily removed.
• Transfer meat to a platter and tent with foil.
• Strain the solids from the braising liquid, pressing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the solids.
• Remove as much fat as possible from the top of the liquid using a fat separator or large spoon. Reserve ¼ cup of liquid in a small bowl for the slurry. Bring braising liquid to a boil on the stove top.
• Remove core from apples, but do not peel them. Cut apples into eighths. Add to the simmering liquid and cook until tender but still holding their shape.
• Make a slurry with 1½ tablespoons of cornstarch and reserved ¼ cup braising liquid. Add to simmering liquid and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper).
• Slice the meat as best you can. It is so tender you might end of with pieces and not perfect slices. But it will be delicious. Spoon some sauce over the meat and top with the apples. Serve extra sauce on the side to spoon over mashed potatoes for the ultimate fall meal.

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.

APPLE CIDER PORK POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• Season the pork with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork and brown well on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the pork and add the onion wedges to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, letting them get a little color but being careful not to let them burn.
• Return the pork to the pot, placing it on the bed of onions. Add the cider and 1 cup (235 ml) water and bring to a simmer, then wedge the apple pieces under the meat among the onions. Toss in the thyme.
• Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender, shreds easily, and is a deep brown color; the apples will have caramelized.