Whiskey-braised pork

By avpeters

Ingredients

• pork shoulder, 3-4 pounds, boned, tied
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 each, chopped: yellow onion, carrot
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/4 cups whiskey
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat to plate. Add onion and carrot to the Dutch oven. Cook until vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, bay leaf and dry mustard; cook 1 minute. Add whiskey; cook, stirring up browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, brown sugar, nutmeg and black pepper to taste. Add meat; cover. Roast until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.

Remove pork from oven; cool 10 minutes. Transfer meat to cutting board. Strain liquid into a fat separator (or skim off fat); return liquid to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by three-quarters, about 15-20 minutes; set aside. Cut pork shoulder into thick slices; place slices on a heap of colcannon with reduced juices around the plate.