Slow-Cooked Pork Roast with Apple & Thyme Recipe

During the cold season, I love to slow-cook some beef and/or pork roasts in my slow cooker or in my oven. They make for hearty meals that can feed the entire family and I love the quick & easy preparation.

Samuel Adams teamed up with guys from Carnal, a Brooklyn-based union of Kentucky slow cooking BBQ with New York eclecticism, to create this delicious looking recipe. It’s our guest post feature today.

Pork Shoulder Slow-poached in Octoberfest with Apple & Thyme Recipe

2 bottles of Octoberfest
1/2 of whole bone-in pork shoulder
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
12 sprigs of fresh thyme
28 oz. of apple cider
3.5 oz of apple cider vinegar
2 gala apples
Bacon fat
Salt to taste

Have your butcher quarter a whole pork shoulder. One quarter should be plenty for 6-8 people. In a large stock pot, add the pork shoulder, coarsely chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves. Add the beer and enough apple cider to completely cover the meat. Tie up the fresh thyme with twine or cheesecloth and add to the liquid. Bring to a simmer, ensuring it does not boil. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours, until the pork falls apart easily. Strain the liquid and reserve. Allow the meat to cool before picking off the bone. Sort through the meat, discarding large chunks of fat, connective tissue, onions and garlic.

In a mixing bowl season the pork that has been pulled from the bone. Add some of the cooking liquid so the pork is “wet” but not submerged. Season with vinegar and salt to taste. The vinegar is meant to balance the fattiness of the meat. Line a square or rectangular mold with plastic wrap and arrange the pulled, seasoned meat in one even layer. The thickness can vary from 1 ¼”-2”. Cover the pork with another layer of plastic wrap and weigh down the mixture as it cools in the refrigerator. Ideally, the weight should be the same shape so it cools in an even layer. The collagen present in the meat is converted into gelatin, which allows the pulled pork to cool in a specific shape. Chill for a minimum of two hours. It can then be cut into cubes to be easily served as a small bite before a meal.

Garnish – Dice the apples with skin still on into medium-sized, even chunks. Heat bacon fat in a sautee pan until almost smoking. Add the apples in an even layer, careful not to cause a flare up. Allow one side of the apples to deeply caramelize, while still remaining raw. Add a splash of cider vinegar to deglaze. Cool the apples on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Season with chopped fresh thyme and salt. Spoon the apples on to each portion of the pork terrine on a serving tray.

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