Midwest Boiled Dinner from Gourmet

By Addie

This could be a better picture, but when you're hungry and a table full of people are waiting on you to hurry up and get there so they can start eating...well, food art goes out the window. But you get the idea--Midwest Boiled Dinner (any boiled dinner) is a miracle of cooking efficiency: meat and four veggies that are cooked in the same pot and still retain their unique characters.

The secret is a staggered cooking time, with the potatoes jumping in first, then turnips, followed by carrots and last, cabbage. I had never made a boiled dinner with smoked pork butt--only corned beef, and I will forever more make it with smoked pork--if you're gearing up for St. Paddy's Day and want to try this, look for a 2 lb. piece of smoked pork butt, also called smoked pork shoulder butt, and also sometimes called a Boston butt.

Ingredients

• BROWN BUTTER HORSERADISH SAUCE:
• 2 lb. piece of smoked pork butt
• 2 bay leaves and 10 peppercorns.
• 1.25 lbs or so of peeled small yellow potatoes (like Yukon Gold)
• 3/4 lbs peeled and 1-inch-wedged turnips
• 1 pound peeled carrots that have been cut into 3" lengths
• 1.5 lbs cabbage, cut into 6 wedges ((1 small or half large)
• ...........................................
• 6 Tablespoons butter

Preparation

Step 1

Bring your pork butt to a boil in water to cover, along with 2 bay leaves and 10 peppercorns. Simmer for an hour. (If there's netting, let it cook in the netting for 5 minutes, then cut it off). Add potatoes and simmer for 8 mins; add turnips and simmer for 5 minutes, add peeled carrots and simmer for 10 mins; then finally add cabbage wedges and simmer for 7-10 mins.

Then take it all out and put it on a platter that you've been keeping in a warming oven (like at 175)--cover with foil. Oh, slice the pork first. And artfully arrange your veggies. Keep the boiling water, you'll want a little bit.
.............................................

BROWN BUTTER HORSERADISH SAUCE:
Melt butter in a pan and let the milk solids brown to a golden color, being careful not to let it burn. Use a wooden spoon (or something) to stir and see what's going on under the foam.

After the butter has browned, take it off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp bottled horseradish, 1 tbsp reserved cooking liquid, 2 tsp white vinegar and 1/4 tsp salt. And there's your sauce! Serve brown mustard on the side and voila--dinner is served. Yum!