Name: 🎃 Pig in Mini Pumpkins (Onion-Free Adaptation)
Ingredients: 4 small pumpkins; 3 1/2 lbs 3 pork shoulder, boneless, cut in 2-inch chunks; Salt & black pepper; 1 Tbsp flour; Olive oil for searing; 1/2 tsp hing; 2 tsp crushed fennel seed; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp red chili flakes or cayenne; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary & thyme; 2 - 2 1/2 cups hard cider

Instructions

Prep pumpkins

Cut tops, scoop seeds/fibers. Rub insides lightly with oil and salt. Place in a roasting pan that can hold them upright.

Season & brown pork

Toss pork with salt, pepper, and spice mix. Optionally dust with flour. Brown in batches in hot oil until well seared.

Fill pumpkins

Divide pork evenly among the pumpkins. Pour ~½ cup cider into each pumpkin (don’t overfill — leave room). Place lids on pumpkins.

Bake

Roast at 350 °F (175 °C) for 1¾–2 hours. Check at 1½ hours: pumpkin flesh should be tender when pierced, and pork nearly fork-tender. Add cider if liquid cooks off.

Finish

Rest 10 minutes. Remove pork with some pumpkin flesh, slice pumpkins into halves/quarters for plating, or serve whole mini pumpkins as individual portions. Spoon sauce over the top.

🎃 Pig in Mini Pumpkins (Onion-Free Adaptation)

Ingredients

Seasoning mix for pork: