3 lbs of Country style boneless pork ribs cut in half or a pork butt or shoulder
2 onions cut into 1” cubes
½ bunch of celery cut in 1” pieces
3 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
½ bunch of thyme
½ gallon of tea
2 cups of Krupnikas
2 tsp salt

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Then, sear the meat in a hot pan (large enough to hold all the ingredients) until golden brown. Make sure you allow the pan to get very hot before adding the meat. You will need enough canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

Once meat is seared on all surfaces, remove meat from the pan and add onions, celery, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

When the onions are caramelized add Krupnikas, thyme, and tea.

Place meat into the pan and cover with tinfoil. At this point you can throw the pan in the oven at 250 degrees for a minimum of 4 hours or cook on the stove top for 2 hours. Make sure the pan is oven safe or transfer the contents into an oven safe pan.

When a fork can be inserted into the meat and pulled out without resistance, it’s done.

Safely remove the meat from the liquid and shred with 2 forks.

Add a little bit of liquid back to the meat until desired texture. You will probably need to season lightly until the meat is ready for your guest. This will require several tastings.

Tip: The meat should be nearly covered in the liquid when you add the meat back to the pan with all the other ingredients. Also, you can always add more salt but you can’t take it out. Add a little at a time and taste every time you add it. Real chefs taste there food before serving it to Joes.

Krupnikas and Tea Braised Pork (PDF)