Ukrainian Braised Pork with Creamy Mashed Potatoes (video)

Step 1

Prepare the pork shoulder first. Using a sharp knife, carefully portion the pork into 1-inch cubes. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Season the pork generously with salt and brown the pork shoulder for 7 to 8 minutes, until well-browned all over. Do this step in 2 to 3 small batches to avoid over-crowding the pan. Transfer the pork into a large braising pan.

Step 2

Next, into the same frying pan, add the diced mushrooms and more oil, as needed. Brown the mushrooms for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots and onion next and continue to sauté the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add in the minced garlic cloves, coriander, cumin, paprika and black pepper and cook for another minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture, then stir it in.

Step 3

Add the mushroom mixture to the braising pan with the browned pork. Next, prepare the sauce. Combine the water, ketchup, sour cream and salt and whisk the ingredients together for 1 minute, until smooth. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to combine with the pork.

Step 4

Cover the pan with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar to allow liquids to evaporate. Bring the pork up to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the pork for 1 ½ hours, or until the pork is tender and soft. Remove the pork from heat and sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons of chopped dill. Reserve the remaining fresh herbs for garnish.

Step 5

For the mashed potatoes: peel and cube the potatoes into even sized pieces and add the cubed potatoes into a large pot of water. Season the water generously with salt and bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, then add the butter and let it stand for a few minutes until the butter is melted. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they’re smooth. Add a few tablespoons of cream to the potatoes, as needed. Season with salt, to taste.

Step 6

Spoon the braised pork over a bed of the creamy mashed potatoes. Garnish with more fresh herbs and enjoy.