Beer & Balsamic Braised Pork Trottole

Slow cooking aficionados will know that harder working cuts of meat – think shoulders, legs and butt, give optimum results when cooking low and slow. 

This braised pork in beer and balsamic recipe caught my eye because a long simmering meat sauce, pasta ready, was exactly what I wanted to come home to this weekend after a long day re-acquainting myself with a pair of skis in Alpine Valley in the Wisconsin Alps. The meat goes a long way when served folded, with it’s sauce, into large pasta spirals.

It gave me the opportunity to use some good quality Balsamic Vinegar from the bleu olive, another of our neighbors at the Andersonville Galleria. The vinegar is sticky, sweet and sour with a mouthwatering smell.

If you have a little spare time over the weekend, this is a great make – ahead recipe for a weeknight dinner. The flavors in the sauce develop nicely when refrigerated. Fit it into your weekend cooking schedule and simply re-heat and serve.

If you’re interested in learning more about slow cooking then please join us at our “New Fashioned Slow Cooking” demonstration and tasting event at Sunset Foods in Lake Forest, February 26th. See flyer attached for details.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time:  LOW 8-10 hours, HIGH 4-5 hours Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, chopped

3lbs bone in pork shoulder, cut into 3” chunks, trimmed of fat

¾ cup / 1 medium onion, shredded

¾ cup / 1 large carrot, shredded

1 tbsp / 2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp tomato paste

½ cup / ⅔ bottle wheat beer

½ cup chicken broth

1 packet trottole pasta (twirls)

⅓ cup parmesan cheese

In a skillet over a low heat cook the bacon lightly for 2 minutes and transfer to your slow cooker.

In the same skillet, turn up the heat and brown the pork chunks on both sides. Transfer to your slow cooker.

In a small food processor or using a hand grater, shred the onion, carrot and garlic. In the same skillet, add the onion, carrot and garlic mixture. Stir while sautéing for 2 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, beer and chicken broth.

Transfer this mixture to your slow cooker and stir into the browned pork.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-5.

Once cooked, shred the pork in the sauce. Cook the pasta according to the packet and stir into the pork mixture. Add the parmesan before serving and stir again.

Zen Moment

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
― Edith Sitwell