Artificial Food Coloring Free Citrus & Herb Pulled Pork
Slow-braised pulled pork gets a serious upgrade here, built entirely from whole spices, fresh citrus, and pantry staples you can actually pronounce. That matters more than it might seem ā a lot of store-bought marinades, sauces, and seasoning packets sneak in synthetic dyes that have no business being anywhere near your dinner. Every drop of color in this dish comes from turmeric, cinnamon, and a deeply golden sear in coconut oil, so what you see on the plate is completely natural. The braising liquid is where the magic really happens: fresh orange and lime juice, bone broth, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of honey create a bright, layered sauce that soaks into the pork as it slowly becomes fall-apart tender over three hours in the oven. Once it's shredded and spread across a baking sheet, a quick blast under the broiler crisps the edges into something genuinely irresistible ā caramelized, a little smoky, and packed with citrusy herb flavor. Finished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, this is the kind of dish that disappears fast no matter who's at the table.
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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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