Pork Stew With Polenta Food

SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• In a food processor, combine the peppercorns, garlic, and cloves and puree. While the motor is running, drizzle in the oil until a paste is formed. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the garlic paste into a small bowl.
• Place the pork butt on a work surface and season all over generously with salt. Rub all over with the garlic paste. Place in an oven-safe roasting bag and close with a twist tie. Place in a large roasting pan, and cook until tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove roast from the oven. Slip the oven-roasting bag off the meat and discard. Transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid with a ladle or de-greaser. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer to thicken the juices slightly.
• Raise the oven to 400 degrees F. Return the pork, in the roasting pan, to the oven. Continue roasting, basting frequently with the simmering cooking liquid, until well-browned, about 30 minutes. If there is any cooking liquid left, pour it over the pork.
• Remove pork from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. With the pork drippings you may make a vinegar sauce using this formula: for every 1/2 cup of drippings, whisk with 3 tablespoons vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Either carve the pork into thin slices, or, using 2 forks, pull into small pieces. Serve with the vinegar sauce on the side.

THE BEST PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Whisk together the chile powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps remain. Spread the spice rub evenly over the pork butt, pressing it into the flesh on all sides. Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 275 degrees F.
• Whisk together the barbecue sauce, apple cider, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in large Dutch oven or other heavy large pot until combined. Transfer the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, turning the pork to coat it with sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Then cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the pork is very tender and easily shreds when pulled apart with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Let the pork cool uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for serving, then smash the pork into the remaining sauce with a potato masher; it should fall apart and shred completely. Stir to combine the pork with the sauce. Serve on toasted potato rolls topped with coleslaw. Pass the reserved sauce.