Recipe and images by Fiona Hugues
According to American folklore, Johnny Appleseed was a likeable chap who swanned about the Wild West planting trees and giving away apple seeds so gullible recipients could plant them and create orchards not full of sweet apples perfect for pies or eating fresh from the tree, but instead the robust tart varieties only good for the manufacture of cider. This recipe salutes Johnny booze lord of old and by adding maple syrup and balsamic vinegar to cider to create a slow cook that melts pork into mouthfuls of sweet, succulent happiness. Serve with mash or in fresh buns with a crunchy slaw.
1kg approx. pork shoulder bone in (I used wild pork. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know where I got it from)
olive oil
2 red onions cut into wedges (leave the root end on so they hold together)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
6–8 small whole red apples
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup clear apple juice
1 cup apple cider
⅓ cup approx. maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Trim the excess fat off your shoulder and season with salt and pepper. In a hot heavy pan add a little oil and sear pork on all sides until browned.
Place the onion wedges into the bottom of a large heavy-lidded casserole dish and lay the pork on top. Brush the pork all over with the Dijon mustard. Drizzle surface with a little olive oil.
Place the whole apples around it and pour over all the other ingredients.
Cover and cook for at least 3 hours (probably 4) at 160C, basting 2–3 times throughout cooking until the meat pulls from the bone.
When done, pour off the remaining cooking juices into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened and syrupy. Add a little more maple syrup and balsamic to taste if needed.
Pour this over the pork, onions and apples to serve.
