Cider Braised Pork Roast Food

SLOW-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CIDER & PARSNIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large lidded flameproof casserole and brown the meat in batches, then set aside. Fry the onions, celery and parsnips with the bay leaves for 10 mins until golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and give a good stir, then add the pork and any juices back to the dish.
• Add the cider and stock so that the meat and vegetables are covered. Season and bring to a simmer, then cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs. Serve sprinkled with parsley, with mashed potato and greens, if you like.

CRISP CIDER-BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Day 1: Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Place all the ingredients except the pork and sunflower oil in a flameproof pan that will fit the pork snugly - a casserole dish is ideal. Season, bring everything to the boil then turn down the heat and slide the pork into the pan. The pork should be totally submerged - if it isn't, top up with water. Cover the dish with a lid or tight tent of foil and place it in the oven for 3 hrs undisturbed.
• When the pork is cooked, leave it to cool slightly in the stock. Line a flat baking tray with cling film. Carefully lift the pork into the tray and make sure you get rid of any bits of vegetables or herbs as they will end up pressed into the pork. Cover the pork with another sheet of cling film and cover with a flat tray or dish - the tray must be completely flat as any indentations will be pressed into the pork. Weigh the pork down with another dish or some cans and leave to cool in the fridge overnight. Strain the juices into a jug or small saucepan, cover and chill.
• Day 2: Unwrap the pork and place on a board. Trim the uneven edges so that you have a neat sheet of meat. Cut the meat into 4 equal pieces and set aside until ready to cook. Lift off any bits of fat from the braising juices and tip what will now be jelly into a saucepan, then bubble down by about two-thirds until starting to become slightly syrupy. Add a few more drops of vinegar, to taste.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, then turn the heat down. Add the pork to the pan, skin-side down - be careful as it has a tendency to spit. Sizzle the pork as you would bacon for 5 mins until the skin is crisp. Flip it over and cook for 3-4 mins until browned. Place a small pile of cabbage on the side of each plate and sit a piece of pork on top. Place a spoonful of mash on the other side of the plate, drizzle over the sauce and serve.

CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on roast to 1/4 inch. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern, 1/16 inch deep, in fat cap. Place roast on large sheet of plastic wrap. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup salt in bowl and rub mixture over entire roast and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic, place on plate, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Unwrap roast and pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper.
• Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear roast until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Turn roast fat side up. Scatter onion and garlic around roast and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups cider, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until fork slips easily in and out of meat and meat registers 190 degrees, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Strain braising liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids and let liquid settle for at least 5 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before roast is done resting, wipe out pot with paper towels. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of clear, separated fat from top of fat separator into now-empty pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season apples with salt and pepper. Space apples evenly in pot, cut side down, and cook until well browned on both cut sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.
• Wipe out pot with paper towels. Return 2 cups defatted braising liquid to now-empty pot and bring to boil over high heat. Whisk in apple butter until incorporated. Whisk cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cider together in bowl and add to pot. Return to boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce and keep warm.
• To carve roast, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean dish towel to grasp bone if necessary). Slice pork and transfer to serving platter with apples. Pour 1 cup sauce over pork and apples. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK CHEEKS

Steps:

• Season both sides of pork cheeks with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour and press it into the meat to coat thoroughly.
• Heat clarified butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear meat on both sides until richly browned, adjusting heat lower if necessary. When cheeks are browned, reduce heat to medium. Transfer cheeks to a plate to rest.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add onions, carrots, and celery to skillet. Cook and stir until softened and sweet, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Add vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Pour in the cider and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add sage and rosemary. Reduce heat to low and transfer cheeks back to pan. Cover. Cook until fork tender but not falling apart, 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of the pork cheeks. Transfer to a plate.
• Bring liquid to a boil over high heat, skimming off fat as it rises to the surface. Reduce volume of liquid by about 60 to 70%. Sauce will start to thicken up. Taste for salt and season as needed. Transfer cheeks back to liquid. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until cheeks are heated through and tender and sauce is thick enough to coat cheeks.

CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Pat pork dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides, taking care not to get the oil too hot. Remove the meat to a platter.
• Add onions and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, apple cider and chicken broth. Nestle the pork shoulder in the pot (fat-side up). Cover the pot.
• Roast the pork shoulder in a 325°F oven for about 3-3 ½ hours, basting with cooking liquid every hour or so (if possible). The pork is done when the meat is falling off the bone (an internal temperature of about 205°F). Remove bay leaf and herb stems.
• Transfer the pork to a large cutting board. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks (discarding fatty pieces), and spoon plenty of that delicious cider cooking liquid and onions over top.

CIDER PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown pork for about 4 minutes on each side. Pour 1 cup apple cider in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Place two sprigs rosemary in slow cooker; top with meat and remaining rosemary. Place cherries around roast. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat; keep warm. , Strain cooking liquid; reserve liquid and transfer to a small saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup cider; bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and remaining cider until smooth. Gradually whisk into cider mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with meat.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

CIDER BRAISED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• For the pork:
• Grind together with a mortar and pestle the salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Dry off the pork and rub the herb mixture into the pork. Wrap in plastic and put in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.
• Roughly chop the onion and garlic.
• Rinse the salt/herb mixture off the loin, dry, heat the vegetable oil or butter in a lidded braising pan and sear the loin on all sides.
• Remove and saute the onions and garlic briefly, stirring to pick up the brown on the bottom of the pan.
• Add the cider then place the loin on top, cover and put in a 325 oven for about one hour.
• For the sauce:
• When the pork is done, remove and strain out the onions and garlic.
• If there is not enough liquid add some more of the cider to taste, depending on the amount of sauce you want.
• Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and place the braising dish over a low heat. Stir until thickened and add a pat of butter to finish.
• Serve over the pork.
• For the apples:
• Peel, core, and slice into half inch thick wedges.
• Lay evenly in the butter and cook on one side until slightly brown.
• Remove.
• Do this in batches if necessary.
• When all are done set aside.
• For the potatoes:
• Cut into quarters and boil for a few minutes.
• Add some more butter to the pan in which the apples were cooked, lay the potatoes in it and brown.
• When the potatoes are done add the apples to the pan, garnish with thyme or parsley and serve with the pork.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
• Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
• Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

SLOW COOKER CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Tie 3 pieces of kitchen twine around each piece of pork to create 2 evenly shaped roasts.
• Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Brown roasts on all sides, 7 to 10 minutesp; transfer to plate.
• Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until onion is softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme sprigs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Slowly whisk in apple cider, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
• Stir in apple butter and bay leaves into slow cooker.
• Nestle roasts into cooker, adding any accumulated juices.
• Cover and cook until pork is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat [9-10 hours on LOW or 6-7 hours on HIGH.]
• Transfer roasts to carving board tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Strain sauce into a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes; discard solids.
• Combine defatted sauce and vinegar in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove twine from roasts, slice meat against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and arrange on serving dish.
• Spoon 1 cup sauce over meat and serve, passing remaining sauce.
• Serve and enjoy.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chops in two batches, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and cook onion over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic, flour, and 2 tablespoons apple butter and cook until onions are coated and mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in cider and thyme, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, and bring to boil. Add browned chops and any accumulated juices to pot, cover, and transfer to oven.
• Braise until chops are completely tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer chops to serving platter. Strain sauce, then use a shallow spoon to skim off fat. ( Note - a fat separator, if you own one, is a much better method to discard excess fat.).
• Whisk in vinegar, parsley, and remaining apple butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.
• NOTE - The chops and sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. To serve, heat sauce and chops together over medium heat until chops are warmed through.

APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven until almost smoking. Brown pork on all sides in the hot oil. Transfer browned pork to a plate and discard fat.
• Add apple cider, onion, salt, and pork to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove pork and place on a cutting board. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice and place on a serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Core apples and cut into wedges. Cut dried apricots in half (if not already in pieces).
• Add apples, apricots, cardamom, and cinnamon to the dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until fruit in tender, about 5 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer apples and apricots to the serving platter. Re-cover with foil to keep warm until serving.
• Bring the juices in the Dutch oven to a gentle boil and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Spoon cider sauce over meat and fruit or serve on the side.

PORK ROAST WITH HARD CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear on all sides in the hot pan until golden brown; set aside. Add the onions and apples and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to caramelize, then pour in the hard cider and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and nestle the browned pork roast back into the pan. Cover with a lid and put in the oven to braise until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pork roast from the pot and transfer to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender and puree, then return the puree to the pan. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, then reduce the heat to low and add more cider if gravy is too thick. Add the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, whisking constantly as it melts. Remove from heat when the gravy is smooth and shiny and the butter is completely melted.
• Slice pork loin roast and arrange on a serving platter. Serve with sauce and enjoy!

BRAISED PORK SHANK

Steps:

• For the brine: Bring the water to a simmer in a large non-reactive pot. Turn off the heat and add salt, sugar, coriander, peppercorns, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved, and then let it cool in the fridge or an ice bath until the brine hits a temperature of 35 degrees F.
• Add the shanks to the cooled brine and weigh down with a plate to ensure that the shanks are completely submerged. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• After brining, remove the shanks from the brining liquid to a baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel to dry off a bit. Discard the brining liquid.
• For the braise: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil so that it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven or roasting pan completely. Put some flour in a shallow dish. Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the flour and whisk to combine. Dredge the shanks in the flour, shaking off the excess, and add them to the pan. In order to get a nice even golden-brown sear, you don't want to overcrowd the pan. (Do this step in two batches if necessary.) Brown the shanks on all sides, a few minutes per side, then remove to a plate while you sear the rest.
• Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme with a large pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by three-quarters. Add the apple cider and reduce by half. Add half the chicken stock and bring the braising liquid up to a simmer. Taste it for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if necessary. Place the shanks back into the pan; the liquid should go about halfway up the shanks. If it does not, add the rest of the liquid until it reaches the desired half. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the meat is tender, about 200 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the shanks from the oven and carefully transfer the shanks to another large pan. Then strain the braising liquid over the shanks. Cool them in the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, reheat the shanks in their liquid. Then remove them to a large serving platter. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the meat.

BEER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Season the pork generously with salt and pepper.
• In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over med-high heat.
• Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Pour off all but 1 T fat from the pot.
• Add the onions, carrot, and garlic and sauté over med-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to become dry, about 2 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.
• Pour in the beer and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the pot bottom.
• Cook until the liquid starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cider, broth, vinegar, and thyme.
• Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Return the pork to the pot, cover, and cook in the oven for about 3 hours.
• Uncover and continue to cook, basting frequently with the braising liquid, until the pork is tender, about 1 hour longer.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.
• Skim the excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid.
• Cut the pork across the grain into thin slices.
• Arrange the slices on a platter, spoon the cooking juices over the top and serve.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK BUTT ROAST WITH APPLES

Steps:

• Eighteen to 24 hours before cooking, combine brown sugar and kosher salt and set aside. Trim fat cap, if necessary, leaving about 1/8". Using a sharp knife, cut 1" crosshatch pattern, 1/16" deep, in the fat cap. Place roast on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Rub the sugar/salt mixture over the entire roast and into slits. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap, place on a plate and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 275° convection. Unwrap the roast and pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any excess sugar/salt mixture. Season with black pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or other oven proof pot with lid) over medium high heat. Sear roast until browned on all sides.
• Remove roast and add onion, fennel, and garlic to pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or more until onion becomes translucent.
• Add mustard, cider, chicken stock, vinegar, thyme, bay leaves and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil.
• Return meat to pan and return to simmering. Cover, transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender, about 3 hours. Meat should register 195 to 200° and the bone is loose and can be easily removed.
• Transfer meat to a platter and tent with foil.
• Strain the solids from the braising liquid, pressing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the solids.
• Remove as much fat as possible from the top of the liquid using a fat separator or large spoon. Reserve ¼ cup of liquid in a small bowl for the slurry. Bring braising liquid to a boil on the stove top.
• Remove core from apples, but do not peel them. Cut apples into eighths. Add to the simmering liquid and cook until tender but still holding their shape.
• Make a slurry with 1½ tablespoons of cornstarch and reserved ¼ cup braising liquid. Add to simmering liquid and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper).
• Slice the meat as best you can. It is so tender you might end of with pieces and not perfect slices. But it will be delicious. Spoon some sauce over the meat and top with the apples. Serve extra sauce on the side to spoon over mashed potatoes for the ultimate fall meal.

HARD CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Rinse the pork and pat it dry. Using a thin, sharp boning knife, make ten to twelve deep, narrow slits in the pork and insert a sliver of garlic into each. Season the meat generously all over with salt and pepper, and then use kitchen twine to tie the shoulder into a compact, uniform shape. If it isn't already, allow it to come to room temperature.
• Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork on all sides, taking your time, turning it frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Done properly, this will take about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Transfer the pork to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and add the onion, carrot, and apple. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat until they are golden brown and soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add both ciders and the halved head of garlic, and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pan. Put a piece of parchment or aluminum foil over the meat, folding it down around it so that it makes a snug tent. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the middle of the oven. Cook until the pork is very tender, about 3 hours, turning it once or twice to keep all sides moist.
• Transfer the meat to a platter to rest before slicing. Strain the broth, discarding the apple and vegetables. Skim the fat from the pan juices and return the juices to the pan. Over medium heat, reduce to about 2 cups. Adjust the seasoning, and serve with the pork.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK WITH CREAM AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Begin by seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper, then heat the butter and oil in the frying pan till foaming and sizzling, and brown the chops for a couple of minutes on both sides so they are a nice golden colour. Then, using a draining spoon, remove them to a plate and keep on one side. Now add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the juices left in the pan and cook these together for about 5 minutes, then move them over to one side of the pan and return the chops. Sprinkle them with the herbs, then spoon the mushroom and onion mixture over the top. You can also watch how to prepare onions and garlic in our Cookery School Videos on this page. Pour in the cider, then turn the heat down to the lowest possible simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. After that, remove the chops, mushrooms and onions to a plate and keep warm in a low oven. Then turn the heat up under the pan and simmer the sauce briskly (with the lid off) for 8 minutes. Now stir in the cream, let it bubble and reduce very slightly, and taste to check the seasoning. Then serve the chops with the sauce poured over.