Pork braise

 

 

 

Free Range Pork, Apple, Potato and Cider Braise

To celebrate my mothers birthday it is a tradition at Daisy Dining I share a recipe, and this year I have decided to share my recipe for my Free Range Pork, Apple, Potato and Cider Braise. As a family, we did not eat a lot of pork however my mother when we were naughty used to tease us and say we would get pork and turnips for dinner!

Ingredients 

1kg Diced Pork Shoulder I prefer Jonai Farms or Brooklands Free Range Farms

1 Cup of Plain free flour
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 x carrot diced
1 x celery stick diced
1 x onion diced
2 x garlic cloves crushed

5 Bottles of Cider
I use Daylesford Cider

6 purple Royal potatoes

6 Apples
I use Daylesford Organics when in season

Parsley
Thyme
Sage
Bay leaf

This recipe I must start by saying thank you to Tammi Jonas, who when I started Daisy Dining taught me so much Pork and ethically raised pork.

 As I specialized in traditional cooking methods, I am a firm believer that the produce you use speaks volumes in the finish product. I have listed below the websites to the producers I use for the main ingredient’s to this recipes.

 Now lets cook. 

Starting with your vegetable preparation. Peel your four potatoes and dice into 2cm cubes and place in cold water so they don’t discolor.

 

We will leave the apples for the moment as they discolor quickly. 

Now dice your carrot, celery and onion then crush garlic cloves.

This is your the base of any traditional braise.  

Now tie your bouquet garnet of a stalk of parsley, thyme, bay and stalk sage. 

Also chopped up 4 tablespoons of sages and halve into two bowls.

In a bowl pour the flour and add salt and pepper, then toss through the meat so all is covered. 

 Turn your oven on to 180 to let it warm up.

 Take your braising pot and place on the stove top and put a good glug about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and allow it to heat. Once heated place your floured pork in to the pot and allow the lamb to brown this will take a couple of minutes each side, you are looking for a good caramelisation on the pork.

 Once done remove the pork and place onto a clean plate, and set as side.

You might need to do this in two batches,

While the pork is browning, peel the apples and quarter.

 Now add your mire poix, the carrot, celery, onion and garlic mix and a good grind of pepper and pinch of salt and sautéed for 2-3 minutes. Time to add half a bottle of cider and let this come to simmering and you will notice you will be able to start loosening all the caramelization from the pork. Then add the remaining seasoned flour to the rest of the bottle of cider plus another bottle, the flour acts as a thickening agent to the braise.

  

Once mixed in take your potatoes add to the braise, also add the apples half the chopped sage and the pork, once again a good grind of fresh pepper and salt. Now pour 2 bottles of cider over it, you should have enough liquid to cover the braise. Pop your bouquet garni, then transfer to the oven covered. 

Cook for 90 minutes, after 90 minutes’ check and see how much it has caramelized the apples should have fully broken down and any fat on the pork be totally tender. If you need to add more cider add half a bottle, then cook for another ½ an hour.

Once finished take from oven and sprinkle with remaining chopped sage and served with a green salad. As the braise has potatoes in it I feel a salad is more appropriate than rice or a potato dish. 

With Love
Darling Miss Daisy. X

My beautiful suppliers

Brooklands Free Range Farms

Available at Hank Marvin market, St Kilda and Clunes Market
Jonai Farms

Can visit Farm gate and order on line
Daylesford Cider

Beautiful to visit if in Daylesford and can order cider on line
Daylesford Organics
Beautiful Produce and Blog to follow