Shredded Maple Braised Porcelet Collar Roast with Butternut Squash

Yields: 3-4 servings

Time: 15 minutes prep, 45 minutes active cooking, 4 ½ to 5 hours inactive cooking

INGREDIENTS:

For the Porcelet Collar:

• 2 to 2 1/2 pound D’Artagnan Porcelet Collar Roast, wrap removed, cut in two large pieces
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, destemmed and finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, destemmed and finely chopped
• Zest of one medium orange
• 1 glove garlic, peeled and pressed or grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for searing

For the Braising Liquid:

• 1 1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, unpeeled, split in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 small onion, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 medium orange, halved (use orange you took the zest from)
• 2 gloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water
• 3 to 4 tablespoons toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
• 2 to 3 ounces Pecorino Romano, finely grated
• 2 cups baby arugula
• Extra virgin olive oil, to finish

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place both halves of the D’Artagnan Porcelet Collar Roast in a medium mixing bowl along with the thyme, rosemary, zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the ingredients evenly over the surface of both pieces, making sure everything is well distributed and adhering nicely.  Preheat the GreenPan Premiere 6 Quart Slow Cooker to 400° F on the Brown/Sauté setting with a timer of 30 minutes. Pour in the olive oil.
   
   
2. Once fully heated, place both pieces of the porcelet into the slow cooker and sear for 4 to 5 minutes until they are deeply golden brown. Flip and repeat until they are seared on all sides.  Transfer the porcelet back to the same medium mixing bowl it was in previously.  Place the butternut squash into the slow cooker, flat side down.  Sear until nicely golden brown, 6-8 minutes, then flip onto the peel side. 
   
   
3. While waiting for the porcelet and squash to sear, stir all the braising liquid ingredients in a small bowl to combine.
   
   
4. Return the porcelet to the slow cooker along with any accumulated liquid, making sure that it is sitting on the bottom of the pan. Add the celery, carrot, onion, orange halves, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and butter.  Evenly distribute them, along with the seared squash, around the sides and even on top of the porcelet as needed.  Pour in the braising liquid and place on the lid.  Set the slow cooker to Low and the timer to 4 1/2 hours.  Cook the pork, flipping it once halfway through, until it is easily pulled/shredded into large 1–2-inch pieces, adding extra cooking time if needed.
   
   
5. Once tender enough to be shredded, transfer the porcelet pieces to a clean medium mixing bowl and allow to cool until you can shred it by hand. (You can use forks for this, but it’s easier to leave in larger 1-2-inch pieces when using your hands.)  Once shredded, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
   
   
6. Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and orange halves from the slow cooker. Discard the cinnamon and bay leaf but save the oranges for seasoning the sauce once finished.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the squash, celery, carrot, garlic and onions to the bowl of a food processer, leaving the braising liquid in the pan.  Gently remove the peels from the cooked squash and discard.  (If you’d like, you can keep the peels on, but they will leave a bit of texture in the finished puree). Process the vegetables in the food processer until they are the texture of mashed potatoes, or further if you want a smooth puree.  If needed, add a bit of the braising liquid to reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar as desired.  Cover and set aside while finishing the porcelet and sauce.         
   
   
7. Preheat the slow cooker to 300° F on the Brown/Sauté setting. Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until a slurry forms and no lumps remain. Pour the slurry into the slow cooker along with the juice of half the reserved orange and stir to combine.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the braising liquid thickens into the consistency of a thin sauce.  If the sauce reduces down too far and becomes very thick, thin with a bit of water. 
   
   
8. Return the shredded porcelet and any liquids back into the slow cooker and combine with the sauce. Turn off the heat and taste, adjusting as desired with salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and more of the orange juice.  The sauce should be savory, sweet and acidic – like a fall flavored bar-b-q sauce! 
   
   
9. Serve the porcelet on top of the butternut squash puree, making sure to get a bit of sauce as well, and garnish with pistachios, Pecorino Romano and arugula. Drizzle with some olive oil to finish and serve warm immediately.  

 
TIPS:

When braising, it’s very important to get a great sear on the meat.  While you don’t want to burn it, don’t be afraid to get a very deep golden-brown color!  This will insure a better texture and flavor on the finished porcelet. 

The flavor of maple syrup can vary from mild to very intense!  If yours is quite bold, feel free to reduce the amount used by a third, or even substitute a bit of brown sugar for some of the maple.

If you’re looking for a great side for this recipe, we recommend some simply roasted broccolini!  It will be the perfect flavor and texture to pair with the porcelet and butternut squash puree.