Apple Bourbon Braised Pork Food

BOURBON-GLAZED PORK BELLY CHUNKS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Pour 100ml of the bourbon into a small, shallow roasting tin and add the star anise. Season the pork belly, put in the tin and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 3 hrs. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 1 hr. You can chill the pork for up to 2 days at this stage.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the pork from the tin. Using a small, sharp knife, pare away the rind from the meat, leaving a small layer of fat. Cut the meat into 2cm chunks and return to the tin. Roast for 20 mins until crisp and sizzling, turning regularly.
• Meanwhile, tip the ketchup, soy sauce, honey and remaining bourbon into a small pan. Set over a high heat and bubble for 5 mins until thick and syrupy. Pour over the chunks of pork and toss to coat. Roast for 10 mins more until sticky.
• Snip the chives into the sour cream, if you like, and serve alongside the pork chunks with cocktail sticks.

SUCCULENT BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and working in batches brown the meat on all sides until a golden crust forms. Transfer the pork to a plate. To the pan add the onion, celery, and carrot and sweat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to cook off the raw flavor and caramelize it. Sprinkle with the flour and cook another 2 minutes to cook off its raw flavor. Whisk in the wine and reduce it by half. Return the pork to the Dutch oven, then stir in the beef stock, parsley stems, and bay leaves. Add the water if liquid does not come up to the top of the pork. Do not cover the pork with liquid. Cover the pan and place it in the oven to braise until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

PAN-ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLES AND BOURBON

Steps:

• Slice the pork tenderloin into 6 to 7 medallions that are 1/2-to 3/4-inch thick, depending on the shape of the tenderloin.
• Combine the salt, coriander, fennel and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.
• Spread the sliced pork medallions on a plate or baking sheet and season evenly on both sides with the salt mixture (you may not use it all).
• Spread the flour on plate. Dip each of the pork medallions in the flour and pat off any of the excess.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cook the pork medallions in batches, adding more oil and butter as needed, browning them well on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove to a rack to rest. It's ok if the pork is not cooked all the way through at this stage, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
• When all the pork has been browned, pour off the fat in the pan into a small bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, thyme sprigs and some salt to the pan and cook until the shallots are softened and starting to get a little color, about 1 minute. Then add the apples and saute, stirring occasionally and adding more butter if necessary, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the bourbon and stir to cook off some of the alcohol. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Remove the thyme sprigs. Return the pork to the pan along with the chicken stock and season with salt. Simmer until well thickened and reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the pork and apples onto plates and drizzle with the sauce.

BOURBON CHOPS

Steps:

• In skillet, brown chops on both sides.
• Mix all other ingredients together until mixed well.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Place pork chops in casserole dish or glass baking dish.
• Pour sauce over pork chops.
• Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
• Serve with rice or noodles.

APPLE BRAISED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until just about ready to carmelize.
• Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.
• Season chops with salt and pepper.
• Dredge with flour on both sides.
• Brown chops for about five minutes on each side.
• After browning both sides, pour apple juice over chops.
• Let the chops cook in the juice for another five minutes over med-low heat.
• Do not cover.
• Remove chops and add onion and garlic back into the pan.
• Reduce sauce slightly, adding dried cherries in last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
• To serve, plate chops with wild rice and spoon a bit of the sauce over each chop.
• Depending on thickness of the chops, you may need to adjust cooking time slightly.

BOURBON PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Place the pork roast fat side up in a roaster.
• Rub the roast with lemon juice.
• Mix together the brown sugar, flour, paprika and salt.
• Rub this mixture all over the roast.
• Generously sprinkle with ground black pepper.
• Combine water, 1/8 cup sherry, and 1/8 cup bourbon, and pour over the roast.
• Place a bay leaf in the pan and sprinkle the roast with parsley.
• Baste heavily and often.
• After 1 1/4 hours, pour the remaining bourbon over the roast, and continue to baste until you are ready to serve roast.
• Bake approximately 2 1/2 hours or 45 minutes per pound.