Stewed Pork with Pickles
Submitted by kitkat5491
Pork shoulder braised in white wine and tarragon vinegar, finished with cornichons, Dijon mustard, cream, and Brussels sprouts. French bistro comfort served over buttered noodles.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsIf you’ve ever wondered what a French grandmother would do with a pork shoulder and a jar of cornichons, this is your answer.
Cubed pork gets a hard sear, then braises in a Dutch oven with white wine, tarragon vinegar, bay leaves, and thyme until barely tender. The sauce gets strained, and everything goes back in with cornichons, a generous spoonful of Dijon, a pour of cream, and halved Brussels sprouts for one final stretch in the oven.
Pile it over buttered egg noodles and let that tangy, mustardy, pickle-bright sauce soak into everything. It feeds eight and tastes like it took all day, even though most of the work is hands-off.
Kitchen Tips
- Brown the pork in batches and don’t crowd the Dutch oven. You need space for the cubes to sear, not steam.
- Strain the sauce before adding the cream and pickles. This gives you a clean, silky base without bits of soggy onion or spent herbs.
- Tarragon vinegar is worth seeking out for this recipe. It has a gentle anise note that plays beautifully with the mustard and cornichons.
- The Brussels sprouts cook in the last 20 to 30 minutes so they stay bright and slightly firm. Don’t add them earlier or they’ll turn to mush.
Ingredients
Directions
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375℉ (190℃).
Pat the pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with desired salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat on top of the stove.
Add the pork, without crowding, and brown well on all sides.
You may have to perform this operation in batches.
Remove the pieces to a plate as they are brown.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat.
Reduce heat to low and replace the pot on the stove.
Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that cling to the pan.
Add the flour and cook another minute, stirring.
Add the wine, vinegar and stock and bring to a boil.
Return the pork to the pot with any juices on the plate and add bay leaves and thyme.
Cover tightly and transfer the pot to the oven.
Cook for 1¼ hours, or until the meat is barely tender.
Remove the casserole from the oven and, using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from sauce and set aside.
Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a container and discard onions and herbs.
Replace the meat in the pot, add the cornichons, mustard, cream and Brussels sprouts.
Cover and replace in oven for 20-to-30 minutes or until meat is tender and sprouts are cooked.
Remove from oven and serve with buttered noodles.
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