Braised Pork Shoulder with Leeks – the Perfect Sunday Lunch

• bone-in rolled pork shoulder piece↗1kg kg
• bay leaf↗6
• garlic cloves, sliced↗2

  sliced

• a bunch of thyme↗
• butter↗25g g
• sunflower oil↗
• onions, peeled and cut into wedges2

  peeled and cut into wedges

• juniper berries, crushed↗5

  crushed

• golden fine sugar tsp
• white wine vinegar tbsp
• whole leeks↗4

  trimmed then each cut into 3 pieces

• white wine↗250ml ml

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (convection 160 °C, gas 4). Flatten and roll out the piece of meat, place 4 bay leaves, the sliced garlic and half a bunch of thyme, then tie it again. If unsure, pierce the meat all over and fill the cuts with garlic, bay leaf and thyme.

2. 2

   In a large pot melt the butter and 1 tbsp sunflower oil, sear the pork shoulder for about 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Add the onions and cook another 5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed juniper berries, sprinkle with sugar and pour in the vinegar. Bring to a boil for a few seconds, then add the leeks and the remaining bay leaves and thyme among the meat. Pour in the white wine, cover with a lid and braise in the oven for 1 ½–1 ¾ hours until the meat is tender. Afterwards the dish can be cooled and then frozen for up to a month. Remove the meat from the pot onto a board.

3. 3

   Season the vegetables, then transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Taste the sauce and, if needed, thin it a bit to highlight the flavor. Serve slices of meat with the bowl of vegetables and the sauce on the side.