Braised Pork With Prunes and Orange

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless, skinless pork shoulder (Fat trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch chunks)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (Plus more for seasoning; additional amounts are to taste)
• black pepper (Several generous grinds, plus a generous pinch of salt is specified separately for the braising liquid)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 shallots (Chopped)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup sherry vinegar (Use ¼ cup for the braising liquid and the remaining ¼ cup to soak the prunes)
• 0.5 cup dry red wine
• 1.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme; discard sprigs after braising)
• 2 strips orange zest (Each strip 3 to 4 inches long; from 1 orange)
• 1.5 tbsp light brown sugar (Packed)
• 5.5 oz prunes
• 0.333 cup parsley (Chopped)
• orange segments (Peeled and chopped, for topping; optional, from the orange used for zest)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Season the pork all over with the measured kosher salt and several generous grinds of black pepper.

2. 2

   Melt the butter and vegetable oil together in a large Dutch oven over high heat.

3. 3

   Add half of the pork chunks, spread them out, and let them brown on one side without moving them for 5 minutes. If the pan starts to burn, reduce the heat to medium-high.

4. 4

   Transfer the browned pork to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork, browning it on one side for 5 minutes; searing on only one side is sufficient to build flavor and texture.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute so it is evenly combined with the shallots.

7. 7

   Add ¼ cup of the sherry vinegar and the red wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

8. 8

   Add the chicken broth, thyme, and orange zest strips. Season with a generous pinch of salt, then stir in the pork and any juices on the plate.

9. 9

   Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, and braise in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

10. 10

    While the pork braises, stir together the remaining ¼ cup sherry vinegar, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

11. 11

    Stir the prunes into the vinegar-sugar mixture and set them aside to soak.

12. 12

    Uncover the pork and add the prunes along with their soaking liquid.

13. 13

    Continue cooking for 40 to 50 minutes, until the pork is very tender and the sauce is reduced and thickened.

14. 14

    Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in the chopped parsley.

15. 15

    Serve the pork and sauce, topped with peeled and chopped orange segments if desired. The dish may be served over polenta or with seeded bread.

Notes

The author suggests tawny port as an alternative to the vinegar-and-brown-sugar prune soaking mixture. Serve over polenta or with seeded bread. The recipe gives a total time of 2¾ hours; oven braising time is 2 hours 10 minutes, in addition to searing and stovetop preparation.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• French-inspired
• braised
• one-pot
• pork
• gluten-containing
• dinner