2 tablespoons olive oil
4-pound boneless pork shoulder, tied
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large white onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 12-ounce bottles Mexican cola, preferably Jarritos
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 cup dried cherries
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Warm oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Sear the pork shoulder on all sides until brown, about 15 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste to coat the vegetables. Deglaze the pan with vinegar. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add cola, water, and bay leaves. Nestle in pork shoulder. Bring to a simmer and cover. Transfer to oven and cook for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven and turn pork shoulder. Add cherries, recover, and cook for an additional 1-1/2 hours or until tender.
Carefully remove pork shoulder to a plate. Remove twine. Cover and keep warm.
Over a large saucepan, strain onions and cherries from sauce, and reserve. Skim surface of braising liquid with a ladle to remove fat. Set saucepan over medium heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce sauce by a half, about 15 minutes. Add back onions and cherries and rewarm. Slice pork shoulder and place on platter. Spoon over with sauce and serve.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
-Recipe courtesy of Joseph Erdos