Warm winter favorites: readers' recipes tested in Sunset's kitchens - Food - spicy braised pork shoulder - Brief Article

Sunset, Dec, 2003 by Mickey Strang

Spicy Braised Pork Shoulder Mickey Strang likes bone-in pork shoulder because she can combine it with a few other ingredients in a Dutch oven and then forget about it until dinnertime. She serves this spicy pork with rice and beans. To peel the pearl onions, drop them in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then drain. When onions are cool enough to handle, trim off root ends and squeeze onions to slip out of peels.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 4 1/4 hours

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

1. Rinse pork and pat dry. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Place in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pan with a lid. Add tomatoes, onions, chilies, and garlic.

2. Cover and bake in a 250[degrees] regular or convection oven until meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. After the first 2 1/2 hours, check every half hour; if mixture appears dry, add 1/2 cup water to pan.

3. With two large forks, pull meat from bone into large chunks. Transfer pork to a serving platter. Pour pan juices into a bowl to spoon over pork.

Per serving: 365 cal., 64% (234 cal.) from fat; 25 g protein; 26 g fat (8.8 g sat.); 7.2 g carbo (0.7 g fiber); 249 mg sodium; 100 mg chol.

3 1/2  pounds bone-in pork shoulder Salt and
       pepper

    1  can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes

    8  ounces pearl onions, peeled (see note
       above), or 1 onion (8 oz.), peeled
       and chopped

    2  drained canned chipotle or jalapeno
       chilies

    2  cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Mickey Strang, McKinleyville, CA