Ever hear of Stinco? It's Italian for Braised Pork Shank (or Stinco di Maiale; stinco is Italian for shank, and maiale for pork), and it’s a traditional dish of North Eastern Italy that Vigna Petrussa winemaker Hilde Petrussa and her daughter Francesca shared with us during our March 28th VeroTalk.

The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy where Vigna Petrussa is located is close to the Central Eastern European borders of Austria and Slovenia where pork shank with potatoes is a common dish. It goes great with red wines from Friuli, like Schioppettino or Refosco Red Wine which have higher natural acidity, thanks in part to the northern climate.

Braised Pork Shank when cooked carefully, to ensure the vegetables and pork cook evenly without drying out, is well worth the finished product when it melts in your mouth.

Stinco di Maiale - Braised Pork Shank

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, crumble the bouillon cube and mix together with thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Generously rub this mixture on the pork shank and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Using aluminum foil, create a packet around the shank (and parchment paper), carefully sealing in all the herbs and oil. Set aside.

2. Chop the onion, carrot and spread them across the bottom of a baking dish or casserole pan. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bay leaves. Place the packet on top. Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid to keep in the moisture, and place in a 350 degree oven. Check frequently and stir the vegetables so they do not burn. If necessary, add a splash of broth.

3. After approximately 20 minutes, split the wine between inside the packet and the vegetables in the dish. Recover and cook for about another 40 minutes. Remove everything from the oven and open the shank packet in one corner to drain out the juices into the pan. Using a stand or immersion blender, blend the vegetables, juices, and wine left over in the baking dish.

4. Serve the shanks accompanied by potato gnocchi or mashed potatoes with the blended sauce drizzled over everything for extra flavor.

Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 min.
Portions: 2 people

Ingredients:
1 pork shank
2 Carrots
2 Onions
1 Celery Stalk
1 Garlic Clove
1 tsp. Thyme
1 Vegetable Bouillon cube
2 Bay Leaves
½ cup Red Wine
¼ cup oil
Salt and Pepper

Let us know in the comments below how your take on Vigna Petrussa’s Braised Pork Shank turned out, and how well you thought it paired with their Schioppettino Red Wine Riserva! Pick up a few bottles in our shop, and we will ship it directly to you!