Beer and Brown Sugar Braised Pork Roast

If you happened to stop by our farmhouse on a Sunday afternoon, you might find that a Beer and Brown Sugar Braised Pork Roast was in the oven. This recipe is a staple for our family. It is simple to prepare, delicious to eat, and provides our family with enough shredded pork to be featured in multiple meals throughout the week, making the work of menu planning that much easier.

As the pork is cooking in the oven, it infuses the entire farmhouse with the delightful aroma of caramelized brown sugar. By the time we are ready to sit down to dinner late Sunday afternoon, we’re all clamoring for a bite. It’s rather like Thanksgiving Day when the aroma of roasting turkey has tempted you all day long with the promise of the meal ahead. While this pork is easier to prepare than our Thanksgiving turkey, it is no less satisfying to serve at our family table.

This year, we’ll be enjoying this roast as the centerpiece of our Easter feast, served with homemade sauerkraut, herbed new potatoes, and berry pie for dessert. It will be a delicious meal and sure to be followed later in the week by a dinner of Cast Iron Skillet Pork and Potato Hash. Now you can enjoy these three recipes with your friends and family. They’re sure to love them as much as we do!

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Beer and Brown Sugar Braised Pork Roast

Jennifer from 1840 Farm

Because the pork is braised at a low temperature with liquid in a covered pot, the resulting pork is tender and moist no matter the cut. Unlike most preparations, this pork is nearly impossible to overcook. The low temperature and ample liquid both play in its favor. We have prepared this recipe using several cuts of pork. Each of them turned out beautifully. Pork shoulder (also referred to as pork butt or Boston butt), pork roast, pork loin, and pork belly are all good choices. A pork shoulder or pork roast is my favorite cut to use. I find that they have the ideal ratio of meat to fat to make a tender and delicious meal. You can use 12 ounces of beer, cider, bone broth, or water to the pan. Each yields a slightly different flavor. In a pinch, I once used a bottle of root beer and the results were delicious.

Servings: 6 people

Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pound boneless pork shoulder or roast
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 12 ounces beer, cider, or bone broth

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture on all sides of the pork.
• Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter and olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan
• Add the pork to the pan and sear each side for approximately two minutes. The sugar will caramelize and add a beautiful brown color to the pork.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the beer to the pan, deglazing and scraping up any browned bits of sugar from the bottom of the pan. Bring the beer to a simmer before covering the pan and placing it in the warm oven.
• Allow the pork to cook for two hours undisturbed. The overall cooking time will vary depending upon the size and type of the cut, but I find that 2 ½ hours is the average time needed to deliver perfectly cooked pork to our table.
• After the two hours have elapsed, I begin checking the roast every half hour for doneness. The pork is finished when it will easily pull apart and reaches an internal temperature of around 160 degrees. At that point, I remove the pan from the oven and allow the pork to rest in the covered pan for at least an hour.
• After the hour has elapsed, I remove the meat from the pan to a large sheet pan to cool a bit. Then I shred the meat, strain the cooking liquid, reserving it in a large bowl. I return the shredded pork to the pan and moisten it with a bit of the cooking liquid, holding it in the covered pan. It can be rewarmed over low heat if necessary before serving.
• I use the reserved cooking liquid to make Cast Iron Skillet Pork and Potato Hash. The braising liquid has a wonderful depth of flavor and can also be thickened into gravy and served along with the pork or over mashed potatoes. We like to serve this dish with a side of our homemade Classic Sauerkraut.

Tried this recipe?Mention @1840Farm or tag #1840FarmFood! We can’t wait to see what you make!