High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Haitian Citrus-Braised Pork
Bright citrus, fresh herbs, and a double-cooking technique come together here for a deeply satisfying pork dish rooted in Haitian home cooking. The marinade — built from real orange juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, scallions, thyme, and ginger — does all the heavy lifting, infusing the meat with bold, layered flavor before it ever hits the heat. That's great news if you're trying to avoid the sweetened sauces and bottled marinades that so often sneak high fructose corn syrup into otherwise simple recipes. Every ingredient in this dish is whole and straightforward, so you stay in complete control of what goes into the pot. The braising step renders the bone-in pork shoulder fall-apart tender, and then a quick sear in coconut oil gives each piece that irresistible golden crust. Finished with a scatter of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lime, it's the kind of dish that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pork
- 2 ½ lb bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 scallions, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For braising
- ½ cup water
For searing
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, scallions, parsley, thyme, ginger, turmeric, and salt. Add the pork shoulder chunks and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.
- 2
Transfer the pork and all of the marinade into a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and braise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the pork is completely tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads at least 195°F (90°C) — the meat should pull apart easily with a fork.
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