Cook it :: Pulled Pork with Cherry, Sage, and Smoky Couscous

Last night we ate at Jason Wilson's Crush.  It was perfect timing because while I was talking to him last week we made a reservation for a small party we wanted to gather together last night.  A great celebration deserves great food and Chef Wilson and his team did not disappoint.  The food was phenomenal, the service excellent, and we ate beyond when any of us was technically "full."  

In honor of such an amazing dinner I wanted to post one of Chef Wilson's recipes that is being featured as a part of his relationship with Near East and the Couscous Caravan.  This is the one that I had the day I visited Crush and I can attest that it's divine!  

I hope you enjoy!

PULLED PORK, CHERRY, SAGE & SMOKY COUSCOUS

Ingredients:

Pork:

2½ lbs boneless naturally raised pork shoulder

2 tbs. Kosher salt

1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion (or similar sweet onion), diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs. chipotle peppers (from can)

3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 12 oz. can of Rainier Beer or light lager

16 oz. chicken broth

1 tbs. ground coriander seed

Couscous:

1 box NEAR EAST® Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous

½ bunch fresh mustard greens, ribs (center) removed and leaves small chopped

½ cup dried Chukar® cherries (or locally grown cherries)

3 tbs. chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tbs. pimenton (smoked paprika)

1 tbs. Kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation Instructions:

Pork:

Rinse the pork shoulder in cold water. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel then season it with the kosher salt.

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large braising or frying pan on medium high heat, brown all sides of the pork shoulder. Add the onions and garlic and heat for 2 minutes. Add the peppers, balsamic vinegar, Rainier Beer, chicken broth and ground coriander and mix well.

Place the pan in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn the pork shoulder over after 45 minutes, baste the meat with some of the liquid in the pan and cook 55 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and as pork cools, use a fork to pull it apart into large chunks. Put the meat in refrigerator for 20 minutes to cool in the juices. Strain the juices, save 10 oz. for the couscous. (If not immediately preparing couscous, store juices in refrigerator.)  

Couscous:

Simmer the mustard greens, cherries, sage, pimenton, salt and pepper in a large fry pan on medium high heat for 1 minute.

Add the Near East® Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous, contents of Spice Sack and pork juice and stir ingredients. Remove from heat and cover the pan with a lid or plastic wrap for 5-6 minutes.

Heat up the pulled pork either in a pan or the oven and mix with couscous.

Serves 6

Recipe courtesy of Jason Wilson