Cooking pork shoulder in tomato sauce will give you myriad choices for entrees. Use the sauce on stuffed shells or over spaghetti. Since pork is a sweet meat, it balances the acid in the tomatoes to give you a scrumptious sauce. It’s also tasty
spooned over polenta.
SERVES 6 TO 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
- Three 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes with their juice
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- One 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
- ⅓ cup packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the coarsely chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes to soften them. Add the plum tomatoes with their juice and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the salt, red pepper flakes, dried basil, dried oregano, and minced garlic. Use a sharp knife to make 1-inch slits in the pork shoulder roast, about 2 inches apart, and rub the spice mixture into the pork, pushing it into the slits. Place the seasoned pork over the tomatoes in the pressure cooker.
- Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally and then remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the steam. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before chopping.
- Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce in the pressure cooker. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Stir in the thinly sliced basil and finely chopped parsley. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper if necessary.
- Peel away any excess fat from the pork with your fingers and chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Add the chopped pork to the sauce in the pressure cooker and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Serve the flavorful pork in the sauce and enjoy!
