Cider Maple Glazed Pork Roast

Here's a dish for a busy week that's fast and slow.  


It really is fast:  I wanted to prove this to myself so I whipped out the stopwatch feature of my iPhone: 13 minutes, 22 seconds.   That's from the gathering of ingredients to the closing of the crock-pot lid. 


But it cooks slowly:  the pork shoulder simmers for 6-8 hours, until it falls fork-tender from the bone. 


I've made this Cider Maple Glazed Pork Roast a dozen times, and it always comes out well, infusing the house with the  inviting aroma of cinnamon, allspice, and onions.  


On Tuesday we were blessed with 12 inches of new snow in the mountains, and I had a 9:30 tram date with the girls from East Jackson.  I was particularly motivated to get supper made before I headed out to ski.  

Skiing with the girls from East Jackson on yet another gorgeous powder day in Jackson Hole.

Usually, the spice rub gets applied to the pork roast the night before, but that takes organization and planning, none of which I seem to possess this week.  I discovered that it is totally fine to give it a quick rubdown of spices just before cooking. (If you make this for company, you should let it sit overnight).

You'll need to run to the store for a pork shoulder and some apple cider.  Everything else you'll need is probably already in your pantry. 

I served this with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, but it also goes well with superfast couscous, rice, or Creamy Parmesan Polenta (see sidebar for recipe).  


Because I was excited to see an immaculately fresh bunch of  Broccoli Rabe at Jackson Whole Grocer, I sauteed the greens in olive oil and garlic, and served them alongside the pork roast.  Mountain Man declared the broccoli rabe to be  "horrible", and thus the children refused to try it.  (Just so you know what I'm dealing with over here).

Bitter greens aren't for everyone. 

My Crock-pot is about 20 years old and has only a High and a Low setting. It works just fine.

I bet you can beat my record if you don't stop to take pictures while you cook.  Enjoy!

Cider Maple Glazed Pork is easily doubled for a party, served here with Potato Fennel Gratin, Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage, and Brussel Sprouts.

Cider Maple Glazed Pork Roast

This recipe was adapted from "The Ski House Cookbook" by Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo.  It serves 4 hungry people, with leftovers.

• 5-6 lbs. pork shoulder, bone-in.  To double the recipe, use 2 4 lb. roasts.
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2-4 Tsp. maple syrup

1. Trim the excess fat from the meat.
2. Make the spice rub by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
3. Rub the spice mixture generously into the meat, getting it into all the nooks and crannies.  If you are an organized person, you may now wrap the meat in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight.  Or, if you have not planned ahead, just rub with a little extra vigor and hope that will suffice.
4. Put the onion pieces in the crock-pot, and pour the apple cider and soy sauce over. Stir to combine.
5. Place the pork roast on top of the onions.
6. Cook on "high" for 6 hours, or "low" for 8 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
7. Transfer the meat to a platter, and cover with foil to keep warm.
8. Strain the juices into a 4 cup measuring cup and discard the solids.  Spoon off any fat that rises to the top.  
9. For each 1/2 cup of juice, whisk in 2 Tbsp. maple syrup.  
10. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and serve.