Recipe: Braised Pork (using red wine, tomatoes and chicken stock)

BRAISED PORK

1 (6 pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast (or a 3 1/2 pound boneless wild boar roast)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
6 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
2 large carrots, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
4 stalks celery, diced (1 1/2 cups)
6 whole cloves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 bottle Chianti or other hearty red wine
1 (20 ounce) can peeled Italian whole plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare the roast, dry the meat and season well with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a large, shallow plate and turn the meat in the flour to coat lightly, shaking off the excess.

In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil (enough to fully cover the base of the pot) over medium-high flame until the oil is shimmering but not yet smoking. Add the meat and brown deeply on all sides, allowing the pieces to sit on each side long enough to develop a thick brown crust. There will be considerable splattering during this process, so use caution. The total browning time should be about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the other 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or saute pan over medium-low flame. Add the diced pancetta or bacon and saute about 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, cloves, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper to the saute pan, increase the heat to medium-high and saute about 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the other vegetables are soft and almost mushy. Remove the mixture from the pot and set it aside.

When the meat has finished browning, begin to add the wine one cup at a time. It will splatter and hiss, which is good - you want the malcohol to burn off. Bring the wine to a full boil around the browning meat. Boil for 5 minutes.

Add the sauteed vegetables and the reserved pancetta. Pour in the can of tomatoes, the 2 cups of stock and 2 cups of water.

Remove the stockpot from the stovetop, cover it with aluminum foil and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Simmer for 3 hours, until the liquid has reduced and the meat is literally falling off the bone. The mixture should be thick and gelatinous.

Remove the pot from the oven and carefully remove the meat, using two large spoons or spatulas. Take the remaining liquids and solids in the pot and press them through a fine sieve using the back of a wooden spoon, collecting the liquid in a large bowl. Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid. Either slice the meat and serve it topped with the liquid, or shred the meat with a knife or by hand and combine it with the liquid to create a thick pasta sauce.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Joe Bastianich in San Antonio Express-News, April 2002