Black Pepper Free Citrus & Herb Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is one of those dishes that usually leans hard on black pepper — in the rub, in the braising liquid, sometimes in both — which makes it a frustrating off-limits comfort food for anyone who needs to avoid it. This version sidesteps that entirely by building its depth from turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, oregano, and thyme, so the flavor is anything but flat. The braising liquid is where things get really exciting: fresh orange and lime juice, coconut aminos, honey, and bone broth create a sweet-tart, savory bath that slowly transforms a bone-in pork shoulder into something impossibly tender over three hours in the oven. Once the pork is shredded, a quick pass under the broiler caramelizes the edges into crispy, lacquered bits that make the whole thing feel like a serious restaurant-level effort. Spooning that reserved braising liquid back over the meat before broiling is the kind of small step that pays off enormously in flavor. Finish it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime and you have a showstopper that nobody at the table will suspect is missing a single thing.

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