11th
Braised Stuffed Pork Shoulder
adapted from Williams-Sonoma’s “Essentials of Slow Cooking”
1 boneless pork shoulder (3-4lb)
1 thick slice of good-quality white sandwich bread, crumbled
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried thyme
Kosher salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Combine the bread, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make the stuffing. Set aside.
Lay the pork on a cutting board with the boned side facing up. Starting at the center, cut through the thickest part of the meat, working from the center to the sides and cutting parallel to the board to create 2 flaps of meat.
Spread the stuffing on the pork, leaving a border of about ½ inch on the long edges and 1 inch on the short edges. Starting at the short edge, roll up the meat. Tie the roll at regular intervals using kitchen twine. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Brown the pork on all side (about 10 minutes) and remove from pot. Add the wine to the pot and deglaze with a wooden spoon, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Place the pork back in the Dutch oven and add fresh thyme. Cover and cook until the pork is 150—155 degrees, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Remove the thyme from the cooking liquid and discard. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil over high heat and cook until it thickens slightly to a sauce consistency (about 10 minutes).
Cut the pork crosswise into slices, removing the twine as you go. Top slices with sauce and serve immediately.
