Braised Pork with Prunes
Learn how to stuff, truss and braise pork shoulder.This recipe of braised pork with apples and prunes (Épaule de porc braisée aux pommes et pruneaux) teaches you how to stuff, truss and braise a pork shoulder in cider with apples and prunes.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork shoulder or other cut, e.g. loin or rack
10-15 prunes macerated in apple liqueur or brandy for at least 30 mins – 2/3 for inserting into the meat and the balance for the fond de Braisage (braising stock)
Apple liqueur or brandy for macerating (I used Le Birlou – a French apple and chestnut liqueur)
2 apples peeled, cored and quartered
200 g (7 oz) oyster mushrooms (100 g for fond de Braisage and the balance for the garnish)
1 large onion diced
300 ml (10 fl oz) cider (use dry or hard cider if you want something less sweet)
2 tbs sunflower oil
120 ml (4 fl oz) crème fraîche (or heavy whipping cream)
Branch of thyme
Bay leaf
5 cloves peeled garlic
Butter for frying
procedure
Preheat oven to 160 C (320 F) (convection oven)
Insert about 10 prunes individually into cavities notched in the meat and dry off excess juice with a paper towel. Sprinkle meat with pepper and salt.
Roll the pork and truss securely with some string.
Using sunflower oil, sear the meat (on all sides) in a cast iron pot (Dutch oven) over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side until sufficiently browned.
Remove the meat from the pot, tip the onions in and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes (stirring from time to time).
Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, half the mushrooms and continue cooking for around 3 minutes.
Raise the heat slightly, deglaze the pot with the cider and leave to reduce for 3 minutes before adding the remaining prunes. Turn off the heat and return the meat back to the pot.
Cover the pot, place in the oven and cook for about an hour. Half way through the cooking you will need to take the pot out of the oven and turn the meat over. Then check the temperature of the meat by inserting the cooking thermometer into its centre (it should be below 70 C). Place the pot with the meat back in the oven and continue cooking until the temperature reaches 70 C (158 F) which is when the meat is cooked.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a frying pan and fry the rest of the mushrooms with salt and pepper until a golden colour. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.
Add a little more butter to the pan to fry the apple quarters gently for 5-10 minutes and then set aside with the mushrooms.
As soon as the meat is cooked, take the pot out of the oven and transfer to the pork to a tray. Cover with foil and leave it to rest while you prepare the sauce.
To make the sauce, simply reduce the cooking juices (fond de Braisage) remaining in the pot over a high heat until you have a syrupy consistency. Adjust the seasoning if desired before whisking in the cream.
You can also glaze the meat before serving: use the juices from the macerated prunes to baste the meat and glaze under the grill just enough to crisp the top of the meat – repeat 3 times for best results.
TO SERVE: Place the sauce on a dish as a bed for the meat and surround the meat with the apples and mushrooms. You can also add more prunes or even apricots to decorate. Remove the string and carve the meat.