Pork · Deep winter comfort
Pork, Date and Cider Casserole
Pork shoulder and cider are a natural pairing, and a handful of dates melting into the sauce gives it a dark, mellow sweetness that suits the cold months perfectly. Long, slow cooking renders the shoulder meltingly soft and leaves you with a sauce worth mopping up with bread.
Method
Season the pork and brown it in batches in a large casserole until well coloured. Remove and set aside.
Soften the onions and leeks in the same pan for 10 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the cider and let it bubble, scraping the base, then add the stock, mustard and thyme. Return the pork.
Cover and cook at 160°C for 1.5 hours, then stir in the dates and cook for a further 30 minutes until the pork is tender and the sauce rich.
Check the seasoning and serve with mash or crusty bread.
Ben's Tip
Add the dates in the last half-hour. Put them in too early and they dissolve completely; later, they keep a little texture while still sweetening the sauce.
To Drink
Lean into the apples with a glass of good dry cider, or choose a fuller white like a Viognier to echo the dates' sweetness.
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