Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Onions and Thyme

Cider-braised pork shoulder browns in butter, then simmers with sweet onions, nutmeg, and thyme until fork-tender. It echoes Must Running into Oak, when colonial New England farms pressed bruised autumn apples into daily cellar cider before the freeze.

Serves 6

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Ingredients

• 3 lb pork shoulder
• 3 cups apple cider
• 3 large onions
• 2 tbsp butter
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup cornmeal

Instructions

1. 1Pat the pork shoulder dry and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
2. 2In a large Dutch oven melt the butter over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides, about 10 minutes total, then remove to a plate.
3. 3Add thickly sliced onions to the pot and cook 5 minutes until beginning to soften, then nestle the pork back in with the thyme sprigs.
4. 4Pour in the apple cider, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to a 325 F oven.
5. 5Braise for 2 hours until the pork is fork-tender, then remove the meat and reduce the pan juices on the stovetop until thickened to a glaze.
6. 6Slice or shred the pork, spoon the onions and glaze over top, and serve alongside cornmeal porridge.