Recipe: Pork Stew with Apples and Turnips in Cider (oven or crock pot)

PORK STEW WITH APPLES AND TURNIPS IN CIDER

3 pounds boned pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
4 ounces pork rind (substitute 2 slices bacon if necessary)
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups hard cider
3 cups tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
3 cups small white turnips, peeled and cut into eighths
4 garlic cloves, chopped coarsely

Place meat in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper and rosemary. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Roll up the pork rind or fold bacon in half, tie with kitchen string and cover with cold water in a 2-quart pan. Bring to a light boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Set aside.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. On a plate, season flour with large pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, if using Dutch oven.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip a few pieces of pork at a time in the flour, place in the skillet and brown evenly. As each batch is done, transfer meat to a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven or a slow cooker.

Pour cider into the skillet. Over high heat, scrape the bottom of the pan for 1 minute or so to incorporate all the residue. (If oil and flour are burned, skip this step and pour cider directly into Dutch oven or slow cooker.

Strain the cider over the meat; add apples, turnips and garlic to the pork; and bury pork rind or bacon in the meat. Season with salt and pepper and cover.

Seal the pot, if desired (method described in the story above). If you'd rather not, just be sure to check on the pork and add 1/4 cup water at a time, if necessary, to prevent the meat or vegetables from burning.

Bake on the middle shelf of the 325 degree F oven for 1 1/2 hours, or in the slow cooker st on LOW for about 6 hours, stirring meat, turnips and apples once or twice if possible to ensure even cooking.

Break the seal, if you used one. Discard the pork rind or bacon, put the stew with the apples and turnips in a heated serving bowl and skim off the fat. Mash some of the apples and turnips into the juices, pour over meat and serve immediately with egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes or bread to sop up the juices.

Makes 4-6 servings
Adapted from source: Slow-Cooked Comfort by Lydie Marshall