Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Maple Bourbon Pork & Cheddar Grits

Ingredients

10 ounces Mann’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Heirloom grits (recipe below)
2 cups of Maple-Bourbon pulled pork (recipe below)
Canola oil as needed
Sea salt and fresh black pepper; as needed

Heirloom Grits:

3 cups chicken stock
1 cups heavy cream
1 ½ cup stone-ground yellow grits
Sea salt and fresh black pepper; as needed
1 cup sharp, white cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter to finish

Maple Bourbon Pork:

1 (6-7 pounds) pork shoulder
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, fine minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup bourbon
¼ cup maple syrup
2 cups of BBQ sauce

The Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Lightly toss canola oil and sear shaved Brussels sprouts until they are soft and slightly caramelize brown. Stir three-quarters of the sautéed sprouts into the cooked grits then spoon the Shaved Brussels Sprout Grits into 4 individual bowls. Top with and evenly spread the remaining caramelized Brussels sprouts and heap a few ounces of the maple-bourbon pulled pork next to that. Sprinkle with the remaining sharp white cheddar.

For the grits:

Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Simmer to almost a boil. Gently add the grits to the simmering stock. Stir in salt, pepper. Frequently stir the grits, making sure to scrape the bottom. After about 10 minutes of cooking, add the cream. Depending on the brand, stone-ground grits are ready after 20 minutes. Add a little more warm stock and/or milk, if grits become a little too dry. When the grits are tender to bite, stir the cheese (reserving a little for garnish) and cream butter in.

For the pork:

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili and onion powder. Mix well and rub half of it on the pork.

Heat a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the pork shoulder and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Carefully remove the pork shoulder from the pot and set aside.

Turn off the heat and add in the sliced onions, garlic cloves, bourbon, soy sauce, chicken stock and maple syrup. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the browned bits. Add the pork back to the pot, cover tightly, and then place in the preheated oven.

Roast for 6-8 hours or until the pork is falling apart and shreds easily with a fork. Shred the pork in the pot and strain the liquid and toss the pork with the Maple-BBQ pan sauce and then place it back in the oven for 15 minutes. Add a little more BBQ sauce if dry.

Recipe by Dave Woolley and CD Culinary Approach