What’s for Dinner? Spicy Braised Pork Shoulder

By Caitlin Klein in Food on Jan 3, 2011 7:00PM

Did you make the resolution to eat out less and cook at home more? That’s okay. Neither did we. We’re lazy. Even still, this is a great time of year to break out that crock pot hiding in the back of your cabinet and slow cook the crap outta some beautiful cuts of meat.

Before you unceremoniously dump a rump roast into the slow cooker, consider braising it. Braising meat means to brown in fat, then slow cook in liquid. It’s really easy and it gives you an end product that is browned beautifully and less mushy than simply putting some rando raw meat into the crock pot.

You too can braise. Try making some pork shoulder this week.

Chicagoist’s Spicy Braised Pork Shoulder

2 pound pork shoulder (I like the bone-in, but it’s your world)
3 teaspoons olive oil or leftover bacon fat, for cooking
Salt and pepper
3 cups water, plus more if needed
2 Tablespoons Cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 whole jalapeno pepper

To brown the shoulder:

This should be done the night before you want to eat. Heat oil or bacon fat in a large, broad pan. A cast-iron pan is preferred, but not required. Season the shoulder with pepper and salt. Thoroughly brown the pork on all sides. The more browning you do now, the more flavorful the meat will be later. Don’t worry that the meat needs to be cooked all the way through - it doesn’t. You just want to get a nice brown crust on the outside of the meat.

Put the shoulder in a crock pot and fill with water until 2/3 of the meat is submerged. Don’t add enough water to completely cover the meat. Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. The whole jalapeno can go into the pot too. Set the crock pot insert into the fridge overnight to let the flavors really set in.

In the morning, rise and shine and plug in your pork. Go to work. Or doggy day care. Or wherever it is you go - it's none of our beeswax, okay?? Point is, let the meat cook in the crockpot on the low setting for 8-10 hours, or the high setting for 6-8 hours. When you come back home, your house will be filled with the awesome meaty aromas. You can use whatever is left of your braising liquid to make a gravy, or just shred the pork and enjoy.