Old-Fashioned Braised Pork Shank

Ingredients

• 5 kg pork shank
• 2 onions (thinly sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (lightly crushed)
• 4 carrots (peeled and cut into large chunks)
• 800 g potatoes (peeled and cut into evenly sized pieces)
• 15 cl white wine
• 25 cl stock (type unspecified)
• 2 tbsp mustard (OCR: “2 tablespoons”)
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• salt (to taste; season both sides of the pork shank generously)
• pepper (to taste; season both sides of the pork shank generously)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C using conventional heat.

2. 2

   Peel and slice the onions. Peel the garlic cloves and lightly crush them. Peel the carrots and cut them into large chunks. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large, evenly sized pieces.

3. 3

   Season both sides of the pork shank generously with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Heat a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Place the pork shank fat-side down in the Dutch oven to gradually render some of its fat.

5. 5

   Brown the pork shank for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until well colored. Remove it and set aside.

6. 6

   In the same Dutch oven, sauté the onions in the cooking fat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring.

7. 7

   Add the crushed garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

8. 8

   Pour in the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spatula to loosen the browned bits, then reduce for 3 minutes over medium heat.

9. 9

   Add the stock, mustard, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir thoroughly to make a sauce.

10. 10

    Return the pork shank to the Dutch oven and baste it with the sauce. Bring gently to a simmer, then cover.

11. 11

    Bake at 160 °C for 1 h 45. Baste the meat with its juices every 30 to 40 minutes so it remains tender.

12. 12

    Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Arrange the carrots and potatoes around the pork shank, then gently toss the vegetables with the cooking juices.

13. 13

    Replace the lid and continue cooking in the oven at 160 °C for 55 to 70 minutes. Check that the vegetables are tender and the meat pulls away easily with a fork; extend the cooking time slightly if necessary.

14. 14

    Remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 200 °C, and brown for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Baste the pork shank with the juices to achieve a well-browned, lightly caramelized surface.

15. 15

    Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

16. 16

    Serve very hot with the potatoes, carrots, and braised onions. Spoon plenty of the mustard- and herb-flavored cooking juices over the top.

Notes

The OCR text from the first slide is fragmentary and provides no other usable quantities; the detailed list from the second slide is used. The type of stock is not specified. The dish rests for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• French
• pork
• oven-braised
• comfort food
• gluten-free