Lactose Free Haitian Citrus-Braised Pork

Total time5 hr 55 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time1 hr 30 min

4.5

(25)

Lactose Free Haitian Citrus-Braised Pork

Bold, citrusy, and deeply savory, this braised pork dish draws on a classic Caribbean technique that layers bright acidity with aromatic herbs and warm spice. The marinade — built from fresh orange juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, scallions, parsley, thyme, and ginger — does serious work before the pork ever hits the heat, infusing every chunk of bone-in shoulder with flavor that goes all the way through. A long, low braise makes the meat fall-apart tender, and then a final sear in coconut oil gives each piece that irresistible golden crust you'd expect from a restaurant plate. Because the entire recipe relies on whole, unprocessed ingredients with zero dairy in sight, it's naturally free of lactose without any substitutions or workarounds required. That's a genuine win for a braise, where butter or cream often sneak into the braising liquid. Finished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lime, this is the kind of dish that tastes like it took all day — because, in the best possible way, it kind of did.

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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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