Main Dish
Triple Pork Braised with Crunchy Tater Tots
Rued Winery
3850 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
ruedwinery.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2016
- RECIPE BY: k king catering, kathie king
- YIELD: Serves 8
- PAIRS WELL WITH: Rued Zinfandel
Braised pork can be served with so many different things and also pairs well with several varieties of wine, including Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. This dish can be served with pasta or greens, or it can stand alone with a piece of good crusty bread. The recipe is best made the day before you plan to serve it.
Ingredients:
- 1 boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, 4 to 6 pounds, trimmed of most external fat
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 large onions, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup Zinfandel
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juices
- 1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed and meat crumbled
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 1/2 pound applewood smoked bacon
- 1 package frozen Tater Tots
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously season the pork all over with the salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a platter. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot. Add the onions, carrot and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 45 seconds. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes with juices and bring to a simmer. Add the sausage to the pot along with the pork, bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Cover the pot with the lid or with tightly fitted aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Cook, turning the pork over once halfway through the cooking time, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 160° to 165°F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Meanwhile, in a large fry pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, break the bacon into large chunks and set aside. When the pork is done, transfer it to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig from the sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Place the pot with the sauce over medium heat and simmer until the desired thickness is reached. When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and stir into the sauce. Cook the Tater Tots according to the package instructions until crispy. Garnish the pork and sauce with parsley and chunks of bacon, and serve with Tater Tots on the side.
