Italian Braised Pork with Carrot & Sweet Potato Puree

Pork shoulder gets braised alongside tomatoes, herbs, carrots and sweet potatoes. Then the carrots and sweet potatoes are removed and pureed together. Shredded pork shoulder is tossed with the rich sauce, making it truly a divine one pot meal. Italian Braised Pork with Carrot & Sweet Potato Puree will make you love pork shoulder even more!

Pork Shoulder

Pork shoulder is by far my favorite cut of pork. It’s the prefect amount of fatty, without it being too much, and it has so much flavor. Pork shoulder can be cut into a roast, steaks, and bacon. It’s so versatile, yet I feel like many people only use it for pulled pork sandwiches or taco meat. Both of those things are delicious, but I often want something different. So I created this recipe to have during the cold winter months when I wanted a hearty roast, but not beef. This recipe takes some inspiration from Italian ragu, without fully being a ragu. For one this recipe leaves the meat in lager pieces, instead of fine shreds. The carrots are part of the final dish, and not cooked down into the sauce. There are a few other tweaks, but you get the idea!

Perfect Pressure Cooker Meal

The thing I enjoy the most about this meal aside from eating it, is that it can all be done in pressure cooker. I have a electric pressure cooker, affectionally known as the Instant Pot. I love that you can sear meat and vegetables and then braise them all in the same pot. The electric pressure cooker is great when you don’t have the extra time to devote to using your Dutch oven. This entire meal cooks in one pot, and the only other thing you have to dirty aside from your cutting board, is a bowl or food processor for the mashed vegetables at then end. Although this meal is written for an electric pressure cooker, you can certainly slow cook this in a Dutch oven. Check the recipe note for cooking instructions.

Eat More Pureed Vegetables

The last thing I want to talk about is the carrot & sweet potato puree! Honestly it’s really a vital part of this dish. Many times you’ll find braised meat served over mashed potatoes, pasta, or even polenta. Those are all great options. For this recipe I really wanted something a bit lighter and something that would add a touch of sweetness. Let me tell you, scooping up this Italian Braised Pork with that carrot & sweet potato puree is everything you didn’t know you wanted! My boyfriend isn’t a huge sweet potato lover like myself, and he gives this meal rave reviews whenever I make it! So try it!

I hope you make and love this Italian Braised Pork with Carrot & Sweet Potato Puree! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Italian Braised Pork with Carrot & Sweet Potato Puree

This pork shoulder is braised with red wine, broth, tomatoes, and dried herbs to give it an Italian feel. Served over a carrot and sweet potato puree to gives this meal a slightly sweet note to compliment the savory flavors.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Natural Release 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• Electric Pressure Cooker
• Food Processor/ or potato masher
• Fat Separator (optional)

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb carrots cut in half
• 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into very large chunks
• 2 1/2 – 3 lb Bone In Pork Shoulder Roast
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• Italian Herb Blend
• chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

 

Prepare

• Place sweet potatoes and carrots in a large bowl. Toss with a little oil, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Set your pressure cooker to saute mode to preheat. While waiting, pat your pork roast dry and season generously with oil, salt and pepper.
• Once the pot is hot add 1tbs of oil and then add the pork and sear for about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Once pork has been seared on all sides, remove the meat from the pan and set aside
• Add in 1tbs of oil to the pot and add in thinly sliced onions, and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook onions for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
• After 3 minutes, add in 1tbs of dried Italian Herb Seasoning to the pan with the onions. Continue to cook onions with herbs for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add minced garlic to the pan and stir constantly of about 30 seconds, until garlic if fragrant
• Now add wine to the pan to deglaze, making sure to scrap up any brown bits. Cook for 2 minutes
• Switch pressure cooker off saute mode and add in broth and tomatoes. Stir well to combine.
• Return pork roast and it's juices to the pot.
• Carefully dump carrots and sweet potato on top. Do not sir, just place them on top of the roast

Time to cook

• Seal cooker, make sure steam valve is on sealing, and cook on manual high pressure for 90 minutes.
• Once timer goes off, let the cooker naturally release for at least 25 minutes. After 25 minutes release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.

Make the Sauce; Finish & Serve!

• Remove the carrots and sweet potatoes with a slotted spoon into a large bowl (or bowl of you food processor and set aside.
• Move Pork roast to cutting board and set aside.
• Fish out any remaining carrots or potatoes and then take cooking liquid and poor it into a fat separator, or clear measuring cup. Let sit for one minute. Separate liquid and discard fat.
• Once fat has been removed, return liquid to the pot, set to saute mode and bring to a boil.
• Let liquid simmer and reduce for about 10-15minutes stirring every few minutes at first and then more frequently as sauce thickens.
• Meanwhile, shred pork, leaving large chunks for easier serving
• Once sauce had reduced to desired thickness, add pork back to pot and toss well to coat meat
• Use or food processor or potato masher to mash carrots and sweet potatoes together.
• Divide Carrot Sweet Potato Mash evenly among 4 plates and top with pork. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!

Notes

When turning the cooking liquid into the sauce it’s important that you skim off the fat or it will be too oily!

Many people, myself included don’t own a fat separator, so this can simply be done in a large clear measuring cup, or glass bowl

Pour the cooking liquid into your measuring cup or bowl and let sit of about a minute

You should be able to clearly see the fat or light colored liquid sitting on top of the dark cooking juices.

To separate liquid, scoop off majority of the fat with a large spoon and place into a separate bowl. This may take a minute or two depending on how fatty your roast was. and and discard keeping just the liquid.

It doesn’t have to be perfect! A little fat left is okay, but remove as much as possible.

Return the liquid to the pan and reduce! Easy!

 

If you want to make this in a Dutch oven, follow cooking instructions by cooking over medium heat. Once it’s time to  pressure cook; cover Dutch oven with lid and transfer to 300 degree oven for 2 1/2-3 hours until meat is tender. Reduce sauce and mash vegetables as written.

Keyword braised, pork shoulder