Pairs well with Maize Valley Merlot. Originally Served at the February, 2014 Vintner’s Dinner

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 – 8 pound) pork roast
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 10 ounces fresh or frozen pitted cherries
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 TBL red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup ruby port

Directions:

Cut slits 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern in fat of roast, being careful to not cut into meat.  Combine 1/3 cup salt and brown sugar in bowl.  Rub over roast and into slits.  Wrap meat tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 – 24 hours.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Unwrap roast and place on rack in pan, season with pepper.  Add 1 qt water to roasting pan.  Roast until meat is extremely tender and registers 190 degrees (5 – 6 hours), basting twice during cooking.  Transfer pork to carving board, tent with foil and let rest for 1 hour. 

Pour drippings from pan into bowl and skim off fat.  Combine 1/4 cup drippings, cherries, wine, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar and port to simmer in saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 TBL vinegar and cover. 

Slice pork and serve with cherry sauce.