Recipes

Molasses & Hickory Smoked Pork Shoulder
with Sweet Pea Grits & Morel Mushroom-Sour Cherry Braise
Serves 4

1.5 pounds White Marble Farms Pork Shoulder
Brine for Pork shoulder:
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup molasses
½ cup kosher salt
4 cups water
1 Tbs. fennel seed
1Tbs. coriander seed
1Tbs. black pepper corns
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole star anise

1 cup hickory wood chips, soaked in water for 2 hours

1 gallon duck fat

Grits:
1 cup stone ground White cornmeal grits
5 cups water
1 cup butter
4 Tbs. salt
1 pound frozen English Peas

Braise:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 pound Spring onions, tops removed
½ pound Morel mushrooms, cut in half length wise
1 cup dried sour cherries or pitted fresh cherries
2 cups chicken or pork stock
1 bunch thyme leaves, picked and rough chopped
Peel of 1 lemon
Salt to taste

The day before:
Brining the pork shoulder:
Combine all ingredients for brine in a medium sized stockpot . Over high heat, bring brine to a boil and cook for one minute. Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove pot from heat let cool room temperature. When the brine is completely cool, submerge pork shoulder in the brine. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day:
Remove pork shoulder from brine. Start a small coal base in a barbeque pit and add hickory chips, or use an electric smoker and smoke at 200 degrees for 1 hour. Take out and set aside.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In a large casserole dish or Dutch oven, melt duck fat on low heat. Once melted, submerge pork shoulder in fat. Bake uncovered for 3 hours or until pork is fork tender. Set aside.

Preparing the grits:
While pork is cooking, start the grits by combining the white cornmeal & the water in a medium sized stock pot.
Turn heat to high and boil grits, stirring constantly until they begin to thicken. Be careful not to let grits stick to the bottom of the pot. Once grits start to thicken, turn heat to low and cook for 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Preparing the braise:
While grits & pork are cooking start the braise.
In a medium sized, heavy bottom stock pot, add butter and 1 cup of water. Once butter has melted, add lemon peel, onions, and thyme.
Cook on low heat covered until onions are soft, about 30 minutes .
Now add morels, cherries, and stock. Cover again and cook until cherries plump, about 30 minutes.
Salt to taste

Finishing the dish:
Finish grits by stirring in frozen or fresh peas.
Remove pork from fat set on cutting board.

On large plates or bowls, spoon the morel-dried cherry braise on to the bottom, reserving some of the sauce to spoon over the top of pork. Then, place a healthy spoonful of grits in the middle of the plate.
Slice pork into desired portions and place on top of grits. Spoon remaining sauce over the pork.

Enjoy with Pinot Noir or Grenache wines!