Dinner in Half an Hour: Simpler Braised Pork Shoulder

Here's a recipe that I've written up before but this version is simpler and you can actually get it done in half an hour. Actually, I've written this one down twice. Once with pork and once with lamb. But who's counting. So here we go.

Start with these things:

1. Pork shoulder roast preferably with the bone. Around 3-4 pounds.

2. 1 onion diced. Then half that amount of diced celery. And another half of that amount of diced carrots. So, when you add the celery and carrots together you should have same amount of veggies as the onion. See?

3. Dried thyme and oregano.

4. Some bay leaf.

5. A dried chili pepper or two, seeds removed, or not. Whatever.

6. Paprika. I like the spicy kind.

7. Chicken stock.

8. Red wine.

Get out your dutch oven. Then cut the meat up into large chunks that will make it fit into the pan. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and brown it in the pan in batches. Get it nice and brown. Remove to a bowl.

Now saute the onion, carrot and celery in the same pan. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Wait about ten minutes for everything to get nice and soft. Then add the chili pepper, bay leaf and paprika. Stir this around a few times.

Now add the stock and red wine. The liquid should go about half way up the meat. Maybe a little more. Let the liquid get hot. Move the pan to a 250 degree oven. Let it sit in there for 3 to 4 hours.

When the meat is falling off the bone, take it out of the pan and cut it into chunks. Also, pour everything else in the pan through a strainer. Set it aside.

Now get out another onion and two or three more carrots. Dice them up. Heat up some more oil in the pot and add saute the new onions and carrots just like you did before. Add a bit of salt and pepper but nothing else. When they are soft, add the cooking liquid from the oven and the chunks of pork. Simmer this until everything gets nice.

I like to eat this with rice. On the other hand, I like to eat everything with rice. This is also good with kale chips on top. To make kale chips:

1. Tear up some kale leaves to get rid of the stems and large veins.

2. Mix the leaves in olive oil to coat. Add salt and pepper.

3. Spread on a half sheet pan. Bake at 400F until they are brown and crispy.

All done.