A spicy and fragrant mulled wine pork with flavours extricated from hours in the slow cooker, and balanced with sweet potato mash for a full-bodied and extravagant meal.
Ingredients
- 3 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsps caraway seeds
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped coarsely
- 2 cloves garlic, quartered
- 2 medium red onions (340 g), cut into thick wedges
- 1.4 kg piece boneless pork shoulder, rind removed
- 1 cup (250 ml) dry red wine
- 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- ½ small red cabbage (600 g), cut into 6 thick slices
- 2 tbsps fresh tarragon leaves, extra
SWEET POTATO MASH
- 2 medium orange sweet potatoes (800g), chopped coarsely
- 1 large potato (300 g), chopped coarsely
- 60 g butter
Steps
Tie spices, herbs and garlic in a muslin bag; secure with kitchen string. Place onion in base of a 4.5 litre (18 cups) slow cooker. Top with muslin bag and pork. Pour combined wine, stock, sauce, sugar and vinegar over pork. Cook, covered, on low, for 7 hrs 30 mins. Add cabbage; cook, covered, on low for a further 30 mins. Discard muslin bag; season to taste.
Just before serving, make sweet potato mash. Boil, steam or microwave sweet potato and potato until tender; drain. Mash vegetables with butter in a medium bowl until smooth; season to taste.
Carefully remove pork from cooker; break into large chunks.
Serve pork with sweet potato mash and cabbage and onion mixture; drizzled with some of the cooking liquid. Top with extra tarragon. Accompany with baby spinach and crusty bread to mop up the juices.