Fall apart pork slow cooked in a luscious tomato sauce infused with allspice, clove, cinnamon and coriander. So good, so comforting, so easy!

INGREDIENTS

2-3T olive oil
1/2t salt
1/2t black pepper
2lb pork butt, 2″ cubed (tenderloin would work too)
1/2 onion, chopped
6 crimini mushrooms, chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2t allspice
1/2t clove
1/2t cinnamon
1/4t coriander
1/2c red wine
1-28oz can of tomatoes (I used whole but just about anything will work)
1/2c pumpkin – optional (but it makes the sauce a little creamier)
1 bay leaf
1/4-1/2t crushed red pepper flakes
4c water (divided 3c/1c, )
1T brown sugar
2t balsamic vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a dutch oven to med-high heat then add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Salt and pepper the the pork then sear the pork on at least 2 sides. (Make sure not to crowd the pan, if you have to sear in two batches just do it.) Remove to a plate and set aside, the pork should not be cooked through at this point. Add a little more olive oil if you need it then saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic with a pinch of salt and the allspice, clove, cinnamon and coriander for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom, then pour in the can of tomatoes (juice and all). Stir/mash the tomatoes up a bit if you’re using whole then add the bay leaf and crushed red pepper flakes. Dump the pork back in and any juices left on the plate. Pour in 3c water, give it a little stir then put on the lid and place in the oven for 1 hour. Pull your dutch oven out, shred the pork (shouldn’t take much more than the back of a wooden spoon, I don’t even take it out of the pot). Add 1c water, stir, replace the lid and back in the oven for 30-60 minutes, until the meat is super tender. Mix in the brown sugar and balsamic and spoon over some pasta or polenta!

ENJOY!