November 15, 2019–“Timing is everything.” It is amazing how that phrase fits in so many different situations. I wanted to cook a meal for my birthday weekend in the Shenandoah Valley. It had to be something that could feed 12 people while also being hands-off. This preparation did not necessarily completely fit the hands-off criteria but it sounded amazing. The recipe was published in the November-December 2019 issue of Milk Street.
The part that took the longest was breaking down the boneless pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks. This process was further extended by cooking each chunk until all sides were browned. Although the recipe says that you only need to cook about three-quarters of the pork I cooked it all. I can say that the effort of cooking all of the pork definitely paid off.
In the Dutch oven that you browned the meat in, you add the onions and cook until they are soft. I then deglazed the pot with the white wine until most of the wine has evaporated. Once this has occurred I added the rosemary, bay leaf, oregano, fennel seeds, and honey. Milk Street recommended that you use a “strong, dark honey, such as buckwheat” because it holds it own when combined with the other ingredients. If you can’t find buckwheat honey they recommended orange blossom honey as an alternative.
Once all of the ingredients are added you add the cooked pork back into the Dutch oven, including the juices; cover and cook in a 325 degree pre-heated oven until a skewer meets little resistance when inserted into a piece of meat.
Once the meat is done, you remove it to a large bowl and cover to keep warm. Skim off all of the fat then add the orange juice and remaining honey. Bring this mixture to a boil, reduce to medium, and cook until a spatula leaves a trail. Off the heat, add the remaining oregano, rosemary, and vinegar. Since I had the zest from the orange, I also added that for a little extra punch!
I then added the meat back to the pot and stirred it to coat each piece with the sauce. When it is ready to serve, sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and enjoy it with an Orange and Herb Orzo or rice. Although it took some effort I will definitely be making this again!!!!
