Braised Pork with Spicy Potatoes (Puerco Bravo)

From Chef Pierino:
For this Uproot pairing I wanted to come out with a more assertive main course but I think this is still a good match of wine and meat. As an added bonus this works really well when prepared in a slow cooker provided that the meat is browned first in hot fat. The inspiration is a ragu Neapolitan style. The pork shoulder can be cooked as an entire piece or cut up into pieces of about 2 inches as for a stew. The Spanish riff comes in with the potatoes which finish up almost like “patatas bravas”. You could serve the finished sauce separately over pasta.

Braised Pork with Spicy Potatoes (Puerco Bravo)

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
1 1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 jarred roasted red peppers (optional)
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
24 ounces tomato puree
1 large Russett potato, washed and cut into cubes
1 cup meat or poultry stock

METHOD

1. In a large braising pot, heat the lard or oil just short of smoking.
2. Brown the meat on all sides, either whole or in chunks – it’s up to you! Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan you used for browning, saut the garlic and onion until translucent. Add pepper flakes, roasted peppers if using, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the tomato puree, potatoes and the stock to your pot. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
5. Pour yourself a glass of Uproot and Enjoy!

See full recipe here. Recipe provided by Uproot “Reverse Pairings”.