Neck of Engeler Farm Tamworth pork braised with whole roasted onions, Riesling and lemon thyme

Preparation time is 2 ¼ hours.

Ease of preparation is easy.

Pre- heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pork neck roast, bone in, approximately 4 pounds
• 1 teaspoon each of rock salt and cracked black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 medium sized, whole, young onions, if possible the ones with the stems attached
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups of a decent quality dry Riesling wine
• 1 bayleaf
• one dozen sprigs of lemon thyme, or any other variety of thyme. Rosemary also works well.
• ¼ cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

Directions

1. The ideal vessel for braising the roast is a straight sided, heavy bottom pan of stainless or copper 12 to 14 inches in diameter and at least 2 inches deep, with a metal (not plastic) handle and a tight fitting lid. With a pan such as this you can sear the neck roast on top of the stove, add the liquid and transfer it to the oven to braise.
2. Remove the skin from the pork, salt it and reserve to roast alone on a tray as cracklings. You may score the fat with a sharp knife if you like so that the cracklings break apart easier.
3. Season the neck with the rock salt and pepper and sear it on all sides on top of the stove in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. Remove the seared roast and sauté the whole onions until they are golden brown on the outside. Remove the onions and set aside with the neck.
5. Add the garlic, white wine and herbs to the pan. The wine will “deglaze” the pan, removing any bits that are stuck to the bottom.
6. Place the neck and whole onions back in the pan with the braising liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. At the same time, place the skin on a separate tray, uncovered, and place in the oven to roast as cracklings. The cracklings are done when all the pork fat has rendered off and the cracklings are crisp and brown, after at least 1 hour.
7. Braise the neck for approximately 2 hours, or until the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Place the roast and the onions on a platter, and skim any grease off of the braising liquid.
8. Carve the meat in ¼ inch thick slices, cut the onions in half and present on a platter with the hot braising liquid poured on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve the chopped cracklings in a bowl on the side.