Nothing says autumn has arrived like a pork roast with apples. This classic combination is both sweet and savory, making it an always popular dish.
The original recipe came from Cook's Country and I've made a few minor modifications. I like this recipe because it really amps up the apple flavor. It also doesn't leave you with apples that are cooked beyond recognition. The preparation does start 24 hours in advance, when you do need to give the roast a rub with a combination of brown sugar and salt. This helps to tenderize the meat while retaining its juiciness.
Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
1 (5 to 6 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
(sometimes called Boston butt roast)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry
2 cups apple cider, plus 1/4 cup
6 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
3-4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 red apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
1/4 cup apple butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
Advance Preparation: Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on roast to 1/4 inch if it hasn't been mostly removed by your butcher. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in the fat only, about 1/16 inch deep. Place roast on large sheet of plastic wrap. Combine brown sugar and salt in bowl and rub mixture over entire roast. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic, place on plate, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
Braise: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275F degrees. Unwrap roast, rinse off excess salt/sugar and pat dry with paper towels. Season roast with pepper.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear roast until well browned on all sides including ends, about 3 minutes per side. Turn roast fat side up and remove to a plate. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and stir until slighly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine or sherry and deglaze the pot. Return the roast to the Dutch oven fat side up.
Add 2 cups cider, thyme or rosemary 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 the liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids and let liquid settle for at least 5 minutes so the fat rises to the top.
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 lightly browned on both cut sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate 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. Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cider together in bowl. Add to pot while whisking. Return to a low boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce and keep warm.
To carve the pork 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. Top with the cooked apples. Pour some of the sauce over pork and apples. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.
This roast is prepared in the classic braising fashion, which means to brown it and then give it a long, slow cook so the pork has time to tenderize. I think a pork shoulder (sometimes labeled Boston Butt) works best for this recipe, as it is so flavorful. It does require you to separate the fat from the sauce but that small extra step is worth the extra flavor that a pork shoulder provides over other more lean cuts of pork.
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| Fork Tender |
The original recipe came from Cook's Country and I've made a few minor modifications. I like this recipe because it really amps up the apple flavor. It also doesn't leave you with apples that are cooked beyond recognition. The preparation does start 24 hours in advance, when you do need to give the roast a rub with a combination of brown sugar and salt. This helps to tenderize the meat while retaining its juiciness.
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| Browned and Ready for Slow Braise |
From the cooking perspective, it is an all- afternoon affair, but most of the time is spent waiting for the roast to be done. I served this with savoy cabbage fried in some of the pork fat, which was really delicious and used a baked sweet potato for the starch. A really nice fall dinner which I'm sure your family will enjoy.
Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
1 (5 to 6 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
(sometimes called Boston butt roast)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry
2 cups apple cider, plus 1/4 cup
6 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
3-4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 red apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
1/4 cup apple butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
Advance Preparation: Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on roast to 1/4 inch if it hasn't been mostly removed by your butcher. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in the fat only, about 1/16 inch deep. Place roast on large sheet of plastic wrap. Combine brown sugar and salt in bowl and rub mixture over entire roast. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic, place on plate, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
Braise: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275F degrees. Unwrap roast, rinse off excess salt/sugar and pat dry with paper towels. Season roast with pepper.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear roast until well browned on all sides including ends, about 3 minutes per side. Turn roast fat side up and remove to a plate. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and stir until slighly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine or sherry and deglaze the pot. Return the roast to the Dutch oven fat side up.
Add 2 cups cider, thyme or rosemary 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 the liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids and let liquid settle for at least 5 minutes so the fat rises to the top.
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 lightly browned on both cut sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate 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. Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cider together in bowl. Add to pot while whisking. Return to a low boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce and keep warm.
To carve the pork 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. Top with the cooked apples. Pour some of the sauce over pork and apples. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.
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| Browned but slightly crisp. |
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