Rice Free Haitian Citrus-Braised Pork

Total time5 hr 55 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time1 hr 30 min

4.5

(25)

Bright citrus, fresh herbs, and a double-cooking technique come together here to create pork that is fall-apart tender on the inside and deeply caramelized on the outside. The marinade — built from orange juice, lime juice, scallions, thyme, and a touch of turmeric — does serious work overnight, pushing flavor all the way into the bone-in shoulder before it ever hits the heat. Braising the pork low and slow in that same aromatic liquid means nothing goes to waste, and by the time it hits the hot coconut oil for a final sear, you get that irresistible golden crust without any fuss. This is the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with a smell so good people will wander in from the other room asking what's cooking. Because every ingredient here is naturally grain-free, there's no need to swap or substitute a single thing — it just works as written. Finish it with a squeeze of fresh lime and a scatter of parsley, and you have a centerpiece-worthy plate that feels festive and completely unfussy at the same time.

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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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