Pork in Dark Beer with Prunes, Polenta, and Roasted Carrots

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Peel the carrots and cut them lengthwise into quarters. Pat the meat dry and cut it into cubes about 3 cm across. Toss it with the flour, 4 g of salt, and the black pepper. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.

   
2. 2

   Brown the meat and start braising

   Heat 30 ml of oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in two batches so it sears rather than steams; cook each batch for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove the meat. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and thyme and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour in the beer, scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and mustard, add the bay leaf and meat, and cover. Braise over low heat for 65 minutes; the liquid should bubble gently.

   
3. 3

   Roast the carrots and add the prunes

   Toss the carrots with 15 ml of oil and 1 g of salt, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 220 °C. Turn them after 15 minutes; they are ready when tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown in places. Once the meat has been braising for 45 minutes, add the prunes to the pot.

   
4. 4

   Cook the polenta

   About 30 minutes before the braising time is up, bring 900 ml of water and 2 g of salt to a boil in a pot. Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking constantly. Lower the heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick. When thick and free of hard grains, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan.

   
5. 5

   Finish the sauce and serve

   After 65 minutes, check the meat: it should be tender and easy to pull apart with a fork. Remove the bay leaf, uncover the pot, and let the sauce bubble gently for 10 minutes to thicken. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and taste; the sauce should be sweet and savory, with a bright tangy finish. Divide the polenta, meat with prune sauce, and roasted carrots among plates.