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It's Thanksgiving week. You're probably spending a day or two—or MORE—cooking. Cooking and cooking and cooking. And eating some. But cooking mostly, right? In appreciation of that, we present to you this week easy easy easy recipes. Simple, set it and forget ideas for food. Chris Prosperi's Slow Roasted Pork. A new take on oatmeal. Easy grilled cheese. We've got your post-holiday food prep covered.
Chris Prosperi's Slow Roasted Pork
with Bok Choy, Fennel, Carrots and Pork Glaze
1 – 4 pound piece of bone-in fresh pork shoulder – sometimes called a picnic cut
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup light brown sugar – packed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1½ pounds carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
4 bulbs fennel – quartered
1 large head of bok choy – chopped into 2 inch pieces
5 tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 5 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry
No matter how many times I make this braised pork it never lets me down. It is the perfect combination of sweet and salty. It is amazing that an inexpensive cut of pork can be elevated to such greatness with some soy, a little brown sugar and chicken broth. Slow cooking melds the flavors and the crock pot is the perfect tool for this method. Make sure you use a chicken broth with low sodium. Ours contained 580 mg. Be sure to use a regular soy sauce instead of a light one for the best flavor and keep on cooking the pork until it just about falls apart. The cooking time can range depending on your crock pot or the pork shoulder itself. So check it at the 5 hour point and don’t be surprised if it takes 7 and half hours. Try this easy recipe to see what that crock pot can really do.
Place the pork in the pot with the fat side down. Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar and black pepper. Turn the pot to high and cook for 1 hour. Then turn the pork over and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Carefully flip the pork over again and add the carrots, fennel, and bok choy. Turn the pot to high then continue cooking for 1 hour or until the carrots are soft. Then remove the pork carefully (we use tongs and a spatula) to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Skim the fat from the top of the crock pot. Stir the corn starch slurry into the braising liquid to thicken. Cut the pork into serving portions then return to the pot. Serve this dish out of the crock pot with steamed rice on the side.
Makes 6 portions.
