Pork & Plum Stew

 Ingredients: yields 8 servings

3 1/2 - 4 lbs pork shoulder

1/2 lbs bacon

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil

kosher salt, to taste

500 ml apple cider or juice

2 Tbsp grainy mustard

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 - 1 tsp dried thyme)

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup prunes, chopped

2 apple, chopped or slices

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Trim excess fat off pork shoulder. Cut pork into 2 inch chunks and season with kosher salt. Cut bacon into small strips and set aside. Heat dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil and begin to brown the pork in batches until all pork is seared on several sides. Remove from pot and let rest on a plate or in a dish. Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel to drain. Spoon off all but about 2 Tbsp of fat from the pot.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion, cooking for 3-4 mins until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with apple cider and bring to a simmer. Add the grainy and dijon mustard, thyme, and 1/2 tsp of salt.

Return the pork and any accumulate juices. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover to maintain a gentle simmer for 1 hour.

Skim any excess fat off the liquid if desired. Add prunes and cooked bacon and continue to simmer, covered, on low, for 15 mins. Reserve about 1/4 cup of liquid into a small bowl and allow to cool slightly. Whisk cornstarch into reserved liquid until there are no lumps. Stir slurry into the stew and add the chopped apple. Cook for another 10-15 mins until tender. Taste to add any salt if needed.

Serve with mashed potatoes :)

Recipe adapted from Rhubarb and Lavender.