Cheerwine Glazed Pig Tails

Tender pig tails glazed with a Cheerwine mixture takes on a beautiful red color that's sure to excite guests...

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Main Ingredient

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

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.