Comfort foods, we all have our must-haves and go-tos. And luck has it that National Comfort Food Day is this weekend!
We all have those favorites that stir up delicious memories and are well…comforting! For some, it’s fluffy mashed potatoes with a pool of delicious homemade gravy or Mom’s chicken noodle soup simmering on the stove. For others, it may be a favorite family dessert like grandma’s apple pie or dad’s buttermilk-soaked crispy fried chicken.
My husband John’s favorite comfort food is my Slow-Braised Pork Pot Roast with Apples & Onions – its delicious aroma filling the house on a lazy Sunday.
Taste is one of our strongest memories. Things that we loved in our younger years become beloved comfort foods we crave. And it’s not just about childhood. One bite of, for example, pasta carbonara can bring you back to that restaurant in Rome when you were on your first trip to Italy.
Around the holidays we all certainly have our comforting favorites, especially when it comes to the sides that cozy up to the turkey, holiday ham, or roast. Be it oyster stuffing, old-school green bean casserole or roasted Brussel sprouts.
So whether you’re whipping up an old favorite this weekend or creating something new, here’s wishing you some delicious memories. –Kathy
This photo is from another blog I really liked: Sister See Sister Do with a Pressure Cooker recipe that also looks delicious!
Kathy’s Slow-Braised Pork Pot Roast with Apples & Onions
This this juicy tender pork roast makes a super winter meal, especially when served with whipped potatoes and root veggies such as turnips, parsnips or rutabagas. Serve with lots of hearty bread to sop up all the delicious juices.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder or butt roast
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Gala apples, each cut in 8 chunks
1 large onion, cut in 16 chunks
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp. caraway seeds, optional
1/3 cup raspberry or white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. sugar
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Pat dry the pork roast and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Place apples, onion, thyme, and garlic in a small roasting pan and set the pork roast on top. Sprinkle with the caraway seeds.
Mix together the vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, then pour it around the pork.
Place the pork in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and continue roasting for about 1 1/2 hours more, until the pork is fork-tender. The total roasting time will be about 2 1/2 hours.
Chef’s Tips:
Gala apples are used in this recipe for their superior, firm texture when cooking. If Gala apples are not available, try to find Fujis, which also work well.
Recipe Copyright © by Kathy Casey. – www.KathyCasey.com
