Recipe: Pork Stew in Cider

PORK STEW IN CIDER

5 1/2 pounds pork shoulder-boned, rind removed and reserved, cut in 2-inch cubes*
Salt or black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
or 2 teaspoon. dried rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup white flour
4 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cups hard apple cider
1 1/2 pounds turnips
1 pound Jonathan apples
or other tart-sweet apple, about 3
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Season pork cubes with salt and pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the rosemary. Marinate for 24 hours in the warmest part of the refrigerator.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Dry meat with paper towels. In a bowl, toss pork with mustard to cover each cube. Dredge the mustard-covered pork cubes in flour, shaking off excess.

In a large frying pan, heat oil. Brown meat over medium-high heat in 2 batches. Do not crowd pan.

Transfer browned meat to a large pot. Add reserved pork rind. Pour off excess fat, add cider, bring to a boil, and scrape up any brown bits.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Peel turnips and cut into 1-inch cubes. You should have about 4 1/2 cups. Peel apples, cut into eighths, and put in a bowl with turnips. Season with salt. Add garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and mix well. Put seasoned turnips and apples on top of meat and cover tightly.

Bake in preheated oven until apples are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove 6 pieces of apple for garnish. Continue cooking stew until meat and turnips are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove and reserve meat and half the apples and turnips and discard pork rind. Degrease juices. Mash remaining turnips and apples into juices to thicken sauce.

Add reserved meat cubes, turnip cubes, and apple chunks and reheat gently. Serve immediately.

*TO PREPARE PORK SHOULDER:
Remove pork rind and cut in several pieces. Reserve half the pieces for another use. Cover remaining rind pieces with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil 10 minutes. Drain and then cool under cold water. Remove bone from pork shoulder and reserve for another use. Cut meat into 2-inch cubes; there should be about 2 1/2 pounds.

Servings: 4-6
Source: Cook's Magazine, September/October 1984