Pork Braised in Beer

This past Sunday I made pork braised in beer. It is really simple and super tasty. This time I lowered the temperature to 250 and left the lid cracked. I think that is the secret to braising. Lower temperature and a slightly cracked lid. The meat must not boil. This pork was extremely tasty and fall apart tender.

Pork Braised in Beer
3 pound pork, cut into fist size pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, unmolested.
seasoned salt
pepper
beer
olive oil
bacon grease

1)Heat a skillet until nice and hot. Add in the oil. Drop in the beef chunks and sear really well all over. Put on a plate and set aside. Season with seasoned salt.
2) Add the onions and carrots to the pan and saute until carmelized.
3) Get a cooking vessel with a tight fitting lid that is just slightly bigger than the meat you intend to cook. Preheat oven to 250. Brush bacon grease (or butter) on the inside of the cooking vessel. Put the cloves of garlic on the bottom and a little pepper.
4) When onions and carrots are carmelized ad a little beer to the pan and use it to deglaze all the nice bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid, onions and carrots into the cooking vessel.
5) Add the chunks of beef on top of the vegies. Pour beer into the vessel until it comes about halfway up the beef.
6) Place a lid on the braising vessel. Leave it slightly cracked Bake at 250 for several hours, basting some of the pan juices on top of the meat occasionally.
7) When the cooking is done, remove the meat to a platter. Strain the pan juices. Degrease the juices by spooning off the fat. When this is done you can either thicken the juices to make a gravy or serve it as is over the top of the meat.

To make a gravy take 1 cup of the pan juices and place into a saucepan. Measure out 1/4 cup water. Add 2 T flour and stir until there are no lumps. Add to the saucepan. Heat to boiling and cook until thickened to the right consistency.