Chef John’s Pork al Latte

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Description

When the weather gets a little colder, this pork stew really hits the spot. Pork shoulder meat is braised in a creme fraiche sauce until amazingly tender and delicious. Serve on polenta with crisp sage leaves for garnish.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 1 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup creme fraiche
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 15 whole fresh sage leaves

Instructions

  1. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet
  2. place over medium heat
  3. and cook bacon
  4. stirring often
  5. until crisp and bacon fat has rendered into the skillet
  6. about 5 minutes.
  7. Season pork cubes generously with salt and black pepper. Remove bacon from pan and set aside
  8. reserving fat in pan. Turn heat to medium-high and brown pork pieces in bacon drippings until well browned on both sides
  9. about 5 minutes per side. Transfer meat to a bowl
  10. leaving pan drippings in skillet.
  11. Turn heat to medium and stir in chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir onion until translucent and slightly browned
  12. about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into onion and cook until fragrant
  13. about 1 minute.
  14. Pour chicken broth and creme fraiche into onion mixture; whisk until smooth. Scrape up and dissolve any browned bits of food on the bottom of the skillet. Bring mixture to a simmer.
  15. Return bacon to sauce and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped sage. Place pork pieces into simmering sauce along with any accumulated juices from the meat. Reduce heat to low
  16. cover
  17. and simmer until meat is almost tender
  18. about 1 hour.
  19. Raise heat to medium and cook uncovered until pan sauce reduces and thickens and meat is very tender
  20. about 20 more minutes. Stir red pepper flakes into sauce; adjust seasonings to taste.
  21. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat; drop whole sage leaves into the hot oil and cook
  22. lightly tossing leaves in the oil
  23. until crisp
  24. 10 to 15 seconds. Drain sage leaves on paper towels and crumble over pork.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 35 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Servings: 4

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