Apple & maple Braised Pork Shoulder with parmesan polenta

I love making braised pork shoulder when hosting dinner parties. It's easy to make and the results are impressive every time. This version has warming notes with the flavors of garam masala and a creamy polenta. I highly recommend adding the pistachio gremolata to serve!

Servings: 4 to 6
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours

Ingredients

• 1 pork shoulder roast, 1.8 to 2.2 kg (or Boston Butt roast)*
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 500 ml (2 cups) apple juice
• 3 tbsp garam masala
• 1 head of garlic, top only cut off
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 500 ml (2 cups) chicken broth
• 1 yellow onion, cut into thick slices
• 2 firm apples (Empire or McIntosh), peeled and quartered
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
  

Polenta:

• 1 cup fine cornmeal (not instant)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  

Pistachio Gremolata (optional):

• ⅓ cup roasted pistachios, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• A pinch of flaked sea salt
  
  

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 135°C (275°F) or 150°C (300°F), depending on your oven.
2. Trim any excess fat from the pork roast if there are large layers. Cut the meat into 4 large pieces.
3. Dry the pieces with a paper towel and season them generously with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until well browned. Cook in two batches if necessary. Remove the meat from the Dutch oven.
5. Reduce the heat, add the onions, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garam masala, stir, then deglaze with the apple juice, scraping the bottom of the pot well. Add the broth, maple syrup, 2 bay leaves, and the head of garlic. Return the meat to the pot.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours, turning the meat halfway through cooking.
7. After 2 hours, arrange the apple wedges around the meat, cover, and continue cooking for 1 hour. The meat should be very tender and fall apart easily—if not, continue cooking until it falls apart, up to 4 hours total if necessary.
8. Remove the meat from the pot. Squeeze the candied garlic cloves out of their skins and stir them into the broth. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch and mix well. If the broth is too thin, reduce over medium heat.
9. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta: Heat 4 cups of chicken broth in a saucepan. When the broth is simmering, pour in the polenta while whisking constantly. When the texture thickens, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
10. Return the meat to the casserole dish and gently shred it with a fork.
11. Serve directly from the casserole dish in the center of the table, accompanied by polenta and, if desired, pistachio gremolata. SO good.