Cheerwine Glazed Pig Tails
| Serves | 8 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Vegetables, Meat |
| Day Part | Dinner |
| Cuisine Type | American |
Tender pig tails glazed with a Cheerwine mixture takes on a beautiful red color that's sure to excite guests.
Ingredients
5 lb. pig tails
2 gal. water or stock
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cans (12 oz. each) Cheerwine*
Vegetable oil
Steps
- In large stockpot, cover pig tails with water. Add vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 3 hr. until very tender.
- Strain broth and reserve for future use. Refrigerate pig tails to cool completely.
- Cut cooled pig tails into pieces about 2 to 3-in. long.
- Pour Cheerwine into saucepan; reduce over med. heat until it begins to thicken. Meanwhile, fill deep fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 370°F.
- Gently drop tails into fryer. (Stand away, as they will pop and splash as they cook.) After about 4 min., remove tails from fryer and glaze for 2 min. in Cheerwine reduction. (They should take on a red color.)
- Drop pig tails back into fryer for an additional 3 min. This will candy up the sugars in the soda and brown the tails.
- Increase heat under Cheerwine reduction; continue reducing until the mixture glazes the back of a spoon.
- Remove pig tails from fryer and toss in reduction. Serve immediately.
*Cheerwine is a local North Carolina soda pop with a hint of wild cherry flavor.