One thing I've been really anxious to make is something I discovered last year while looking for something to do with the delicious apple cider that I get from the market I work on the weekends. I knew that apples went well with pork so I thought about braising some pork in apple cider, doing some web research I found out that I'm not the only one to have this idea. So after a few trials, I think I have the ratios down for a great meal.
It's a very forgiving recipe, you can adjust the quantities and ingredients pretty easily to fit what you have on hand or what you like.
Start with some pork - I use pork shoulder, if you wanted less fat you could also use a pork roast, or if you wanted to make a smaller version you could make this with a couple of pork chops in a deep frying pan a lot faster than the slow braising process I use. Season liberally with salt, pepper and some garlic powder and let that sit while you prep the veggies.
-Slice one medium sized onion - any type will work, but I tend to use yellow onions or red onions. Cut in half, then slice.
-Chop one small-medium head of cabbage. If you don't like cabbage, you can use another sturdy type of green (turnip greens, collards, kale, etc.) but cabbage gives a nice flavor with the apple and the pork.
-Cut a few cloves of garlic to a medium/large dice - I like a lot of garlic so I used 3-4 cloves, adjust to taste
-Other things you can add are fresh fennel, celery, turnips, carrots, any veggie that will withstand a long, slow cooking process without turning to complete mush
Heat a large braising pan - dutch oven, deep frying pan, stockpot, etc. Anything that will hold all the ingredients, hold heat well and has a cover. Brown the pork in the pan on all sides, add a little oil to keep from sticking if neccesary.
Then add in your veggies around/under/on top of the pork.
Now you're ready for your braising liquid:
Mix 2 parts apple cider, 1 part apple cider vinegar, 1 part water or chicken/veggie stock with 1 or 2 large tablespoons of country style dijon mustard (the kind with the seeds in it).
Pour the liquid on and around the pork and veggies, add some salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like (thyme, sage, rosemary, etc. are all nice with this recipe - whatever you like and have on hand is fine) reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. You can also put the pan (if it's oven safe) into an oven set at 250-300 degrees for this part. The lid will keep the moisture in your pot and keep everything from drying out even if the liquid does not cover your meat and veggies.
Once everything is cooked down, the pork should be cooked all the way through and easy to pull apart. You might want to drain some liquid off, but serve the pork and veggies mixed together with some of the braising liquid. You can serve with potatoes, I like to actually throw in some chopped potatoes for the last hour of the cooking process so everything finishes at the same time. You can also serve over mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, or just serve in a bowl with some crusty bread and soak up the braising liquid with that. It's a very hearty fall/winter dinner that makes your house smell wonderful.
I also discovered this weekend a fast and easy way to make a delicious apple dessert that went wonderfully with the apple cider braised pork.
I used some store bought pie crust for ease and quickness, if you are the type of cook that makes your own pie crust and freezes it for quick use like this that's even better - or you can make a quick crust from scratch if you have a good recipe. This makes two pretty large pocket pies, you could make make 4 smaller ones with the same amount of ingredients, or double it to make 4 large/8 small pies.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
-1 pre-made circle of pie dough, sliced in half
-1 medium-large apple, sliced. (Any type will do, I used a Gala but you could use any type depending on how sweet or tart you like your pie)
-1/8 cup bourbon (optional)
-1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
-1.5 tablespoons butter (melted)
-dash of vanilla extract
-cinnamon, granulated sugar, & nutmeg to taste
Place your two pieces of pie dough on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg on dough.
In a small bowl combine apple slices with bourbon, brown sugar, a dash of vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon.
Spoon apple mixture onto pie dough, fold dough over and seal edges to form a pocket. Brush remaining melted butter onto top of pie pocket and sprinkle with more cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes depending on size and quantity of pies; bake until golden brown all over. Let cool and then enjoy! Can be cut into pieces and eaten with hands, or topped with ice cream while warm and eaten like regular pie. Tasty any way you want to eat it!
No comments:
Post a Comment