Artificial Flavors Free Citrus & Herb Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is one of those dishes that can sneak in a surprising number of additives ā from bottled marinades loaded with artificial smoke flavoring to store-bought spice blends that hide synthetic enhancers in the fine print. This version keeps everything completely clean by building its flavor from scratch: whole dried spices, fresh-squeezed citrus, coconut aminos, and a splash of apple cider vinegar do all the heavy lifting. The result is a braise that smells absolutely incredible as it slow-roasts in the oven, filling your kitchen with warm notes of turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon mingling with bright orange and lime. After three hours, the pork shoulder is fall-apart tender, and then it gets spread on a sheet pan and hit under the broiler so the edges caramelize into irresistible crispy bits. That contrast of juicy, shreddable meat and slightly charred, saucy edges is genuinely hard to beat. Finish it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, and you have a centerpiece dish that tastes like it took serious effort ā because it did, just not the stressful kind.
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Learn more āIngredients
6 servings
For the pork
- 3 lb bone-in pork shoulder (boston butt)
- 1 Ā½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Ā½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the braise
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 oranges)
- Ā¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- Ā½ cup bone broth
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
For serving
- fresh cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325Ā°F (165Ā°C). In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mixture all over the surface, pressing it into any crevices.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork shoulder and sear, turning every 2ā3 minutes, until deeply browned on all sides, about 10ā12 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a plate.
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