Milk Braised Pork with Cheesy Grits

By cindygwest

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon snippped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 recipe Cheesy Grits
• 4 sprigs fresh sage
• Cheesy Grits
• Cheesy Grits Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon seeded and minced* fresh serrano pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cups milk**
• 2 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups quick cooking grits
• 1 3/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
• 4 teaspoons snipped fresh sage

Preparation

Step 1

Trim fat from roast. In a small bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle mixture over roast, rubbing in with your fingers. Place roast in a shallow dish. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a 4-quart Dutch oven brown roast on all sides in hot oil over medium heat.
Remove the roast from the Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir 30 seconds or until fragrant but not brown.
Add the chicken broth, milk, and orange juice to the Dutch oven, scraping any browned bits up from the bottom. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh thyme and cumin. Bring to boiling. Return pork roast to the Dutch oven.
Carefully cover the pot tightly with foil and a tightly fitting lid. Place the roast in the oven. Cook 1 3/4 to 2 1/4-hours or until the pork roast is fork tender, adding additional chicken broth if needed to keep the roast half-submerged. Transfer roast to a shallow dish; keep warm.
Skim fat from cooking juices. Place the Dutch oven onto the stove top. Bring juices to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until reduced by nearly half and a good sauce consistency. (Meanwhile, make the Cheesy Grits.)
To serve, shred pork into large pieces with two forks. Moisten the pork with the reduced pan sauce, reserving a small quantity of the sauce to serve with the pork. Serve pork over Cheesy Grits garnished with sage leaves; pass additional sauce.

Cheesy Grits Directions

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add serrano and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.
Add chicken broth, milk, rosemary, and pepper. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat.
Add the grits in a steady stream; stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir 6 to 8 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
Stir in cheese and sage until combined.
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