As the weather turns chilly, we're all ready for a change of pace in the kitchen. Warmer flavors and comfort food is what we crave. Abundant Kitchen recently hosted our Le Creuset rep, Deb Apuli, who made this delicious recipe for us while in-store.

You should've smelled the place! Delicious!

Many of you requested the recipe and we'd like to share it with you. You'll look and feel like a rockstar in the kitchen!

Cheers!

Hard Cider-Braised Pork with Fennel

Ingredients

3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder, fat trimmed, tied

24 ounces dry natural hard apple cider

3 small yellow onions, peeled and halved

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

3 bulbs fennel, trimmed, quartered, and cored; reserve fronds

seasoning blend of your choice

kosher salt (if blend does not include salt)

olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.
2. Generously season pork with seasoning blend and salt. (May be done up to 1 day ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate).
3. Pour 2-3 tablespoons olive oil into a 5-quart cast iron braiser over medium-high heat.
4. When oil is shimmering, not smoking, place pork into braiser. Brown meat on all sides.
5. Add onions, garlic, and fennel; then, carefully add cider.
6. Cover the braiser and place in preheated oven. Bake 2 ½ - 3 hours, until meat is fall-apart tender.
7. When pork has finished braising, remove from oven and place pork and fennel on serving plate.
8. Place braiser on stove and boil braising liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by half (10-15 minutes). Strain out or remove onions, garlic, and meat bits.
9. Serve pork with fennel, pouring reduced braising liquid over all. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.