Braised Pork Shoulder + Cheesy Fontina Grits
Slowly braise pork atop creamy cheesy grits... comfort in a bowl.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: about 4 hours
Ingredients:
FOR THE BRAISED PORK:
4 pounds Pork Shoulder
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Bacon Fat
1 medium Onion, roughly chopped
3 Carrots, roughly chopped
3 Celery Stalks {and any leafy green parts}, roughly chopped
1 head of Garlic, halved
1 cup Red Wine
2-3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
2 cups Beef Broth
1 small bunch of Fresh Parsley
3 Bay Leaves
FOR THE FONTINA GRITS: {serves 4, double if serving 8 : see note below}
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup coarse Corn Grits or Polenta
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Freshly Grated Fontina Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Coarse Ground Pepper
Serve with fresh chopped parsley and pickled red onions {link in above post}.
Directions:
FOR THE BRAISED PORK:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add in the bacon fat. Also, preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Meanwhile; divide the pork shoulder into 8 equal portions. Pat dry with paper towel and season all sides of the pork generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear the pork on all sides so it's a deep golden color. Remove the pork to a large, clean plate and set off to the side.
To the Dutch oven add in the roughly chopped carrots, onion and celery. Once they start showing signs of color deglaze the pan with a cup of red wine, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven and reduce until a quarter cup is left. Add in the tomato paste, stir and cook for one minute. Add the halved garlic head and push it down to the center of the pot and cover with the vegetables.
Nestle the browned pork pieces into the vegetables and pour in about two cups of beef broth. The liquids should not cover the pork, just close to the top leaving the pork exposed. Cover and place the whole Dutch oven in your preheated oven and braise for 2-1/2 to three hours.
Once the time is up, remove it from the ovens. Using tongs, remove the pork on to a platter. If there was a bone in your pork shoulder, now is the time to remove and discard it.
Pour the sauce and vegetables through a mesh strainer. Discard the vegetables and return the sauce to the Dutch oven and return the pork to the pot {don't cover it in sauce, yet.} taste to check the seasonings. Cover and keep it all warm in a 200 degree oven.
FOR THE FONTINA GRITS:
Measure out a cup of the polenta/grits and add the 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the measuring cup.
In a medium sauce pan, bring up two cups of whole milk plus a cup of low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Watch carefully this happens quickly. Whisk in the polenta {grits} and keep whisking until the corn grits have absorbed all of the liquids.
Once the liquids have been absorbed add in the grated Fontina and coarse black pepper. Stir until smooth.
Scoop the grits into 4 serving bowls. Place a piece of the braised pork in the center of the Fontina grits and drizzle with some of the sauce. Top with minced parsley and pickled red onions {totally optional} and serve!
NOTE: if serving 8 then I make a double batch of the cheesy grits. Otherwise I make a fresh batch when reheating leftovers.
