Chunks of pork shoulder cook low and slow in an apple cider sauce until perfectly tender and sauce has thickened. This is delicious served over spätzle or buttered rice.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder roast, cut into 3- or 4-inch chunks: 1 piece (3 pound)
- Kosher salt to generously season pork:
- vegetable oil: 1 Tbsp
- onion: 1 piece (chopped)
- salt, plus more: 1 tsp (to taste)
- black pepper: 0.5 tsp (freshly ground)
- sage leaves: 0.25 cup (torn, fresh)
- hard apple cider: 1 bottle (750 milliliter bottle)
- apple cider vinegar: 0.33333 cup
- creme fraiche or heavy cream: 0.5 cup
- pinch cayenne pepper: 1 piece
- crème fraiche: (for garnish)
- fresh chives: (for garnish, chopped)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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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.
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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.
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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. Chef John
