Braised Pork with Pears and Chiles
Leigh Beisch
Yields Makes 8 servings
The gentle heat of the dried chiles is highlighted by the sweet pears, which become soft and a bit savory while cooking in the pork juices. With a side of greens, this is one of our favorite fall dinners. Prep and Cook Time: 3 hours, plus overnight chilling.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Rub salt and pepper all over pork. Cover and chill overnight.

Step 2
2

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat a large ovenproof pot over high heat and pour in oil. When hot, add pork. Brown pork on all sides until well browned (about 4 minutes per side), adjusting the heat to keep the pork sizzling but not burning. Transfer pork to a plate or platter.

Step 3
3

Reduce heat to medium and add wine and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Add broth, garlic, and chiles. Return pork to pot and bring liquid to a boil. Cover pork and bake in oven until tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours.

Step 4
4

Quarter, core, and peel pears. Add pears to pot, cover, and bake until pears are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot, with pan juices.

Step 5
5

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Ingredients

 2 teaspoons salt
 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 1 pork butt or shoulder (about 3 1/2 lbs.), tied as a roast
 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
 1/2 cup dry white wine
 2 tablespoons lemon juice
 1/2 cup chicken broth
 8 to 12 garlic cloves, peeled
 2 dried arbol chiles
 1 large mild dried chile, such as New Mexico
 6 Bosc or Anjou pears

Directions

Step 1
1

Rub salt and pepper all over pork. Cover and chill overnight.

Step 2
2

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat a large ovenproof pot over high heat and pour in oil. When hot, add pork. Brown pork on all sides until well browned (about 4 minutes per side), adjusting the heat to keep the pork sizzling but not burning. Transfer pork to a plate or platter.

Step 3
3

Reduce heat to medium and add wine and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Add broth, garlic, and chiles. Return pork to pot and bring liquid to a boil. Cover pork and bake in oven until tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours.

Step 4
4

Quarter, core, and peel pears. Add pears to pot, cover, and bake until pears are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot, with pan juices.

Step 5
5

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Braised Pork with Pears and Chiles

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