Lunch: Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pomegranate Sauce

Recipe by The Magpie Just created this tonight and it's definitely a keeper! The Hubby and I can't wait to try it again, next time on the grill; the smoky flavors imparted by cooking over the coals will complement the sauce nicely. It's a lovely way to s

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pomegranate Sauce

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast
2 teaspoons minced garlic
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 pomegranates with the seeds removed
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Season the pork roast with garlic, kosher salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan.
Bake the roast for 1hour in the preheated oven. While the roast is baking, combine the pomegranate seeds and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pomegranate seeds have broken down and released their juices. Press through a strainer to get as much juice as possible. You should have about 3/4 cup of juice.
Pour the juice from the pomegranate into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and mix in the balsamic vinegar, sugar and cinnamon.
After the roast has been in the oven for 1 hour, start to baste it with the pomegranate sauce, using a brush to apply to the top and sides. Continue to roast the pork until the internal temperature has reached 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.