Pork Shoulder Braised in Osso Buco Sauce ("Boston Butt" cut)

Serves 6-8

5 Lb Boston Butt (boneless pork shoulder), trussed with string
2 tsp high heat oil (such as grape seed, safflower, or canola)
2 yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh minced rosemary, sage, or thyme
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2.5 cups dry white wine
1.5 cups chicken stock (instant pot version: https://youtu.be/euNqxnG3yrY or regular version: https://youtu.be/TF6Rrd9NmhI) store bought stock or water are also ok
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper

If the pork shoulder has loose pieces of meat, tuck them in and roll the pork into a neat roast. Tie the roast with kitchen string at 2 inch intervals. This will give it a more uniform shape and help it cook more evenly. Whole Foods sells it tied up and ready to cook.

Immediately before cooking, dry pork extremely well with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. If the stock is salted, go a bit easier on the salt. Set a heavy, deep, oven-proof pan that can later be covered on medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp canola oil. When the pan is hot and the oil is starting to ripple, place the pork in the pan and cook until nicely browned on the first side, 2-3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Keep rotating the roast and cooking it until it's browned all over (including standing it up on the ends). Remove the pork to a plate and set aside.

Return the pan to medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan. Season with salt and cook stirring occasionally until tender and golden, 15-20 minutes. Covering the veggies for the first 5 minutes will speed it up. Add the garlic and herbs and cook stirring for a minute until aromatic.

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Add the tomatoes, turn up the heat, and cook until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture thickens, 10-15 minutes.

Add the wine to the pan and boil on high to reduce in half, about 10 minutes. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer. Add the pork and bay leaves to the pan. Wait for the liquid to return to a simmer. The liquid should come half way up the pork.

Cover and put in the oven for 3-4 hours. The pork is done when it's fork tender. If all the liquid is evaporated before pork is done, add a little more stock or water. If the sauce is too brothy to your liking, boil it down before serving.

Cool the meat in the braising liquid for 2-4 hours or until you can comfortably touch it, slice into 1 inch thick slices, and flake coarsely with hands to mix the fat and the meat evenly (there’ll be big pockets of fat that will taste better if spread throughout the meat). Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Pour the sauce into a tall container, cool to room temp, and refrigerate overnight.

To serve: lift the fat off the sauce. Brown meat over high heat in a hot skillet (ideally non-stick), add the sauce and cook on low until heated through.

Keeps in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for months. It’s best to chill the meat and sauce separately. It works well mixed with either pasta, beans, lentils, kale, chard, or in sandwiches.

Brown Chicken Stock Video
https://youtu.be/TF6Rrd9NmhI

Affordable Dutch Oven from Tramontina
http://astore.amazon.com/beyondsalmon-20/detail/B006GC1XDY

You can certainly spend $300 on an equivalent Le Creuset, but the above Tramontina pot was only $50 and served me well for 6 years now. The bottom of the pot did discolor (as you can see in the video) and became black, but that didn't change the pot's performance in any way.

Disclaimer: The above link is an Amazon affiliate. I get a small percentage if you buy the pot through it. Maybe I should have linked to Le Creuset... just kidding ;)

Видео Pork Shoulder Braised in Osso Buco Sauce ("Boston Butt" cut) канала Helen Rennie