Halloween has passed and to many, Christmas is the next Holiday for decorating.
After the craziness of skeletons and witches have been tucked away, the time begins for us to regroup and languish over the remainder of this season.
The last of the gold and orange leaves are falling and the air is beginning to crisp just in time for those fall season festivities to come into full swing.
In continuation of celebrating fall this year, we are offering specialty pumpkin, leaf and acorn soaps handcrafted to help you keep those festive fall feelings.
I want to share one of my favorite fall recipes…
To celebrate the beginning of warm meals, full of cider and seasonings.
So, before the Sugar pumpkins are gone off the shelves go seize one or maybe two. Make sure they are “Sugar” pumpkins. The pulp is thicker and sweeter.
Pumpkin Braised Pork
3 ½ pounds boneless Pork shoulder
1T Kosher salt
2t Ground Black pepper
1/4t Cayenne pepper
½ t Dried Thyme
1t Crushed Fennel seeds
1T Chopped fresh Rosemary
1/3c thinly sliced Shallots
2T All Purpose Flour
1T Olive oil
1 volleyball sized Sugar pumpkin
2c hard Apple cider, increase when needed
Step 1: Cut pork into large chunks. Place the pork into a bowl and add Salt, Pepper, Cayenne, Thyme, Fennel seeds, Rosemary & Shallots. Mix thoroughly and cover with parchment paper. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 3: Add flour to Pork mixture to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork in 2 batches until browned, about 3 minutes on each side.
Step 4: Slowly cut all the way around your pumpkin to remove the lid. Scrape the seeds and fiber from the inside and off the “lid”.
Step 5: Line the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper and place the pumpkin on top. Stuff the pumpkin with the browned pork. Pour in your cider. Cover your pumpkin with the lid.
Step 6: Bake in a prepared oven until pork is very tender. About 4 hours. Pour a little more cider after a few hours in the oven. You will have cider evaporate. Remove from the oven and let rest. Brush the pumpkin with some of the rendered fat from the bottom of the pan.
Step 7: Scoop the pork onto serving plates and cut pieces of the pumpkin to serve along with the pork. Combine rendered fat with the cooking liquid from inside the pumpkin. Spoon the sauce over the pork.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Serves 10
Enjoy these last few weeks before the Christmas craze begins and keep your eyes posted for our upcoming November Deals!