Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions
This is an easy, every night kind of meal that can be made as follows in the oven, the day before and reheated for dinner, or in a crock pot for 6 hours on high. Serve with a spinach or kale salad and some mashed parsnip-potatoes. The leftovers (if there are any!) make great sandwiches the next day.
Heat oven to 325. Dry pork shoulder, and season both sides with a respectable amount of salt and pepper. In a large, oven-safe pot like an enameled cast iron dutch oven, heat up the oil. Brown the pork shoulder on both sides, about 8 min total. Remove to a plate.
Add onions and garlic and a teaspoon of salt to the pot and sauté over medium heat until golden in color, about 10 min. Nestle the pork shoulder on top of the onions and pour the cider over top. Cover the top with aluminum foil and then the lid to ensure a tight seal, then put into the oven. Cook 2.5-3 hours, depending on the size of the shoulder.
Once done, remove pork shoulder to serving dish, and bring the cooking juices and onions up to a boil and reduce, serve alongside pork.
Can be made the day ahead and stored in it's juices. In the morning, skim the fat and reheat over medium heat about 1 hour. Serve piping hot.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 325. Dry pork shoulder, and season both sides with a respectable amount of salt and pepper. In a large, oven-safe pot like an enameled cast iron dutch oven, heat up the oil. Brown the pork shoulder on both sides, about 8 min total. Remove to a plate.
Add onions and garlic and a teaspoon of salt to the pot and sauté over medium heat until golden in color, about 10 min. Nestle the pork shoulder on top of the onions and pour the cider over top. Cover the top with aluminum foil and then the lid to ensure a tight seal, then put into the oven. Cook 2.5-3 hours, depending on the size of the shoulder.
Once done, remove pork shoulder to serving dish, and bring the cooking juices and onions up to a boil and reduce, serve alongside pork.
Can be made the day ahead and stored in it's juices. In the morning, skim the fat and reheat over medium heat about 1 hour. Serve piping hot.