Dutch Oven Braised Pork Shoulder
A 5-lb bone-in pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and coriander, braised 3 hours in beer and orange juice, and pulled into carnitas-style shreds with crackling edges.
dutch-oven Timer
Set for 210 mins @ 325°F oven (163°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 10 adults.
Get to the Point
Rub 5 lb pork shoulder with cumin-coriander-smoked paprika blend; sear all sides.
Deglaze with 1 bottle Mexican lager; add 1 cup OJ, 1 cup broth, onion, garlic.
Cover, braise 325°F for 3 hours until fork-shreds. Rest, then shred on sheet pan.
Broil pulled pork 5 min for crackling edges; toss with reduced pan juice.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp black pepper. Rub all over a 5 lb bone-in pork shoulder, pressing to adhere.
Rub the shoulder the night before if you can — 12 hours in the fridge lets the salt penetrate all the way to the bone. Same-day works but this is where 15% more flavor lives.
Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a 7-qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the pork shoulder on every side for about 4 minutes per side (total 12-15 minutes) until deeply browned on all faces. Transfer to a plate.
Turn the shoulder with tongs and a fork stuck into a leaner section. It's clumsy — 5 lbs of pork is heavy. Sear every face, including the ends.
Add 1 diced onion to the pot; cook 4 minutes. Add 6 minced garlic cloves; stir 30 seconds. Pour in 1 bottle (12 oz) Mexican lager and scrape every browned bit off the bottom. Simmer 3 minutes.
Mexican lager gives a slight sweetness that pairs with orange juice. IPA or stout is too aggressive — save those for chili.
Return pork to the pot. Add 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, and 1 orange cut in half (squeeze into pot, drop halves in). Bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to a 325°F oven for 3 hours.
The whole orange halves in the pot are the Yucatecan technique — they release oils from the peel that give the finished pork a bitter-citrus complexity.
Pull the pot from the oven. Let rest 20 minutes covered. Transfer the shoulder to a rimmed sheet pan and shred with 2 forks into rough 2-inch chunks. Discard bones and fat. Strain the pot juice through a fine sieve.
Shred on the sheet pan you're about to broil in — one dish, no transfer. Chunks stay slightly larger for texture on the plate.
Toss the shredded pork with 1 cup of the strained pan juice. Spread in a single layer on the sheet pan. Broil on HIGH for 5 minutes until the top of the pork develops caramelized, crackling edges.
The broil is what makes this taste like carnitas or barbecue instead of pot roast. Skip it and the pork is fine; broil it and it's memorable.
Save the strained pot liquid. Reduce it in a saucepan by half to make a glossy pan sauce — pour over the pork tacos or use as the drizzle for a rice bowl. This is the free upgrade that separates good braised pork from great.
Skip the cinnamon and smoked paprika in kids' portions — pull a section of shredded pork before broiling, toss with 1 tbsp BBQ sauce, and serve on slider buns. Kid pulled pork sandwiches, no adjustments needed.
- Warm corn tortillas with pickled onions and cilantro
- Creamy coleslaw or slaw with lime
- Cilantro-lime rice and refried black beans
Reheat portions in a covered skillet over medium-low with 2 tbsp of the pot juice or broth stirred in. 6 minutes total. Recrisp with a 90-second broil for taco-ready edges.