Braised Pork & Winter Fruit

Dried fruits and red wine bring out the natural sweetness of pork in this perfect-for-winter recipe.

April 19, 2018

Rockside Ranch pork is naturally sweet and delicious in this winter dish using dried fruits and red wine. Start it in the morning or the day before serving so the flavors have time to blend; leftovers make great sandwiches. Recipe by Craig Thompson of Rockside Ranch, adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook.

What you'll need

Ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 lbs bone-in picnic (shoulder) roast
1 dozen dried apricot halves, figs, prunes, or a mixture
1/3 to 1/2 cup dark or white seedless raisins
1 cup dry red wine (chicken or pork stock can be substituted)
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 1/2 Tbsp dried)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 Tbsp dried)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 to 3 Tbsp lard or high-heat oil
4 shallots or 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup honey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small to medium potato and 1 medium parsnip per person (for potnips)
butter (for potnips)
milk, kefir or yogurt (for potnips)
sea salt and white pepper (for potnips)

Method

Directions

1
In a large bowl combine pork, dried fruit, red wine, vinegar, dill, mint, cumin and thyme. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 24 hours. Turn meat once.
2
Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.
3
Preheat oven to 325F or set the crockpot to high.
4
Remove pork and fruit from marinade. Reserve fruit in a small bowl. Reserve marinade separately. Pat the pork very dry with paper towels and lightly sprinkle with salt.
5
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven large enough to fit the pork comfortably. Add the pork and brown the meat until nicely caramelized. Allow it to caramelize to a rich brown color before turning or moving; the browning process will take 20 to 30 minutes.
6
With a slotted spoon transfer pork to a plate (if braising in the oven) or to the crockpot. Drain the oil from the Dutch oven, add the shallots or onion and saute over medium heat until wilted and golden.
7
Add the reserved marinade and deglaze the pan, bringing it to a boil and scraping up any browned bits. Cook for several minutes until slightly reduced. Add the meat back to the pot. If using a crockpot, pour the liquid over the meat.
8
Stir in the apricots, raisins, half of the chicken stock, the bay leaves and honey; mix well. Cook the meat, turning once halfway through, until very tender and falling off the bone. Add additional stock if needed. A 2 1/2 to 3 pound roast will take about 4 hours.
9
Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
10
For the potnips: bring a large, generously salted pot of water to a boil.
11
Peel the parsnips and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Drop them in the water and cook until very tender.
12
Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks.
13
Strain the parsnips and place them in a wide bowl to let steam escape.
14
Add the potatoes to the salted water and boil until tender. Drain well.
15
Combine the potatoes and parsnips in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer). Whip, adding butter, dairy, salt and white pepper to taste.