Ingredients
For the slow-cooked maple pork brine:
4 cups apple cider (32 ounces)
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
A small handful of sage leaves
A small handful of thyme sprigs
A handful of parsley
1 large shallot or 1 small onion, quartered
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 orange, sliced
1 4- to 5-pound pork shoulder
For the glaze:
1/2 cup dark amber maple syrup
1/2 cup grainy mustard
2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
For the slow-baked potatoes
3 pounds medium, thin-skinned potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for liberal drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 bunch leeks, halved lengthwise, then cut into pieces 1 1/2-inches thick
For the red cabbage and beets:
1 red cabbage, shredded
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 large beets, grated into large bowl or shredded in a food processor
2 Honeycrisp apples, shredded or grated
1 cup cloudy apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Kosher salt and pepper
A few juniper berries (optional)
2 large fresh bay leaves
Directions
For the slow-cooked maple pork: For the brine, combine the ingredients with 4 cups water in a large pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar and salt, then cool completely. Add the pork shoulder and refrigerate overnight. Bring the pork to room temperature and pre-heat the oven to 275ºF. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry and slather with half of the glaze. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for 5 hours. Slather with the remaining glaze and continue cooking until tender, about 1 hour more. Let cool for 30 minutes and shred or slice as you serve. For the slow-baked potatoes: Pre-heat the oven to 275ºF. Slow-bake the potatoes for 3 hours. Using the bottom of a glass, squash the potatoes to crack them open and flatten them a bit. In a skillet, heat the EVOO and add in the leeks. Cook to wilt. Combine the leeks with the potatoes in a casserole. Raise the oven temperature to 425ºF and bake until crisp. For the red cabbage and beets: Place all the ingredients in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and wilt the cabbage; cover and reduce the heat. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.