Agrodolce is a very generic Italian term for any type of sweet and sour condiment. While it's used on all sorts of things, it really shines, both literally and figuratively, when used for braising chunks of succulent pork shoulder.
This recipe for pork agrodolce was a thoroughly enjoyable, soul-warming dish of comfort food for cold weather. That's why I was so amused by how much it made me think of summer cooking.
I'm not sure if Italians "barbecue" like we do here in the States, but this sauce very much reminded me of something we'd brush on a rack of ribs while sipping a cold beer. So don't be surprised if you see something like that happen once the weather warms up. In fact, a little touch of smokiness was maybe the only thing this dish was lacking — and we could have taken care of that with a little smoked paprika. Next time.
As I say in the video below, once the meat is tender and ready to serve, you're going to have to decide whether to skim the fat. I'll leave that decision to you and your medical team. If you do skim, here are a few tips: It's hard to skim rendered fat while it's still in the baking dish, so I usually remove the meat, and pour the sauce into a measuring cup, or small saucepan. That way, we have much less surface area, and it'll be way easier to spoon off the top. Also, if you make this ahead of time and chill it overnight, the fat will harden. Then you can easily remove it from the surface.
Either way, this pork agrodolce is amazing served on rice, pasta, polenta, or as I teased in the video, a big pile of ricotta mashed potatoes. In fact, I enjoyed those so much that, when I adapt this sauce to the summer grill, I'm still going to use that as a side. But, no matter how you serve it, I really hope you give this it a try soon. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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2 tablespoons tomato paste
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⅓ cup aged balsamic vinegar
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¼ cup distilled white vinegar
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3 tablespoons honey
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1 anchovy fillet, or more to taste, mashed
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¼ cup finely chopped green onions
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
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1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste
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1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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3 ½ pounds boneless pork shoulder
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Brush a baking dish with olive oil.
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Whisk tomato paste, vinegar, honey, mashed anchovy, green onions, garlic, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together in a large bowl to make the agrodolce.
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Cut pork shoulder into roughly 3-inch pieces. Add to the bowl of agrodolce and mix by hand until coated. Transfer pork and sauce to the prepared baking dish.
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Bake in the preheated oven, flipping pieces over halfway through, until pork is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add a splash of water if pork appears too dry. Skim off fat as desired.
Chef John
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 199 | Calories |
| 13g | Fat |
| 7g | Carbs |
| 14g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 12 | |
| Calories 199 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 13g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 5g | 23% |
| Cholesterol 52mg | 17% |
| Sodium 556mg | 24% |
| Total Carbohydrate 7g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 6g | |
| Protein 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin C 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium 22mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 6% |
| Potassium 244mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
