Apple Cider Braised Pork with Creamy Polenta

With caramelized onions and tender pork infused with apple cider and Rosemary, this one-pot dish is the perfect cozy meal to share.

Ingredients

• For the Pork Rub:  ·   
• Pork Shoulder, cubed  ·  1.5 pound 
• Herbie's Pork Spice Mix  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Whole Grain Mustard  ·  1/4 cup 
• Apple Cider Vinegar  ·  2 teaspoons 
•  ·   
• For the Braise:  ·   
• Yellow Onion, chopped  ·  1 
• Carrot, peeled and chopped  ·  1 
• Red Chili Flakes  ·  1/2 teaspoon 
• cloves Garlic, whole  ·  4 
• White Wine  ·  1 cup 
• Apple Cider  ·  1 cup 
• Water  ·  16 ounces 
• Chicken Stock  ·  1/4 cup 
• Vegetable Oil  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Apple Cider Vinegar  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Herbie's Rosemary, ground  ·  2 teaspoons 
• bunch Green Onions, thinly sliced  ·  1 
•  ·   
• For the Polenta:  ·   
• Cornmeal  ·  1 cup 
• Williamson Wines Extra Virgin Olive Oil  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Garlic cloves, minced  ·  4 
• Heavy Cream or Whole Milk  ·  2 ounces 
• Butter  ·  4 tablespoons 
• Parmesan Cheese  ·  2 ounces 
• Chicken Stock  ·  1 quart 

Instructions

For the Pork Rub:

Start by making the wet rub for the pork shoulder. Add the 1" cubed pork, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, and Herbie's Pork Spice Mix to a large bowl and mix together thoroughly until all the pork is coated with the rub. Set aside.

For the Braise:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy bottomed pot with at least 2" sides or Dutch oven. Once the oil begins to shimmer add the pork cubes. Sear on all sides for about 8 minutes flipping and rolling them around until each they are browned on all sides. Turn the heat off and remove the pork from the pan.

Turn the heat back on to medium low and add the onion, carrot, chili flake, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes then add the white wine to deglaze the pot. Using a wooden spoon scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pot and reduce the liquid by 1/2.

Add the pork back to the pot with the chicken stock, water, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and Herbie's Ground Rosemary. Turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid or foil. Simmer at a low boil for about 1.5-2 hours until the pork is fork tender.

For the Polenta:

Meanwhile, Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepot. When the oil begins to shimmer add the garlic and sweat for 1 min. Then add 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring the stock up to a boil and slowly add the cornmeal while whisking vigorously. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes while stirring frequently. When the polenta is cooked it should become soft, creamy, and no longer mealy. At this point take it off the heat and stir in the butter, and cream.

When both the pork and polenta are finished, shred the pork with two forks and let it absorb some of the sauce that it was cooked in. Plate the pork on top of the polenta and pour some of the reduced sauce over the dish. Garnish with the green onion.

Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of Clarissa Vin Rouge!