Fresh avocado with lime, cilantro, and onion.

Guacamole

JAMÓN SERRANO

Cerignola olives marinated in garlic rosemary olive oil

Olives

pair w / Two Hearted Ale, Frita Margarita, Passionfruit Batido

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Trim excess silver skin but leave a thin fat cap for flavor and moisture.

Trim and dry

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Mix until uniform.

Make the rub

Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, pressing it so it adheres. For best flavor, refrigerate the rubbed pork uncovered on a rack for 2–6 hours (or overnight). Bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Apply the rub

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork and sear on all sides until deeply browned, 4–6 minutes per side. Remove pork and set aside.

Preheat and brown (optional but recommended)

Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook 6–8 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Add crushed garlic and sliced ginger and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Sauté aromatics

Stir in star anise, whole cloves and bay leaves and cook for 30 seconds to bloom their aroma.

Add whole spices

Pour in apple cider vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add beer (if using), orange juice, chicken broth, soy sauce and honey. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and taste — it should be balanced sweet, savory and slightly acidic. Adjust with a pinch more salt or honey if needed.

Deglaze and build braise

Return the seared pork shoulder to the pot, nestling it into the liquid and aromatics. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the pork; add a little more broth or water if necessary. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven.

Braise the pork

Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and a thermometer reads 195–205°F (90–96°C) in the thickest part. Check once halfway through and spoon some braising liquid over the top. If the liquid level gets very low, add a little extra hot broth or water.

Cook low and slow

Carefully transfer the pork to a large cutting board or platter. Remove and discard bay leaves, star anise and cloves from the braising liquid. Let pork rest 10–15 minutes (this helps retain juices). Using two forks or meat claws, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large bits of fat or bone.

Rest and shred

Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and skim off excess fat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce slightly (4–6 minutes) to concentrate flavor, or thicken with a teaspoon of cornstarch slurry if desired. Toss shredded pork with 3/4 to 1 cup of the reduced braising liquid to moisten — reserve extra on the side for serving. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Moisten and season

For texture, heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, 2–4 minutes to get crispy edges, then toss and sear another 1–2 minutes. This step is optional but delicious.

Optional quick crisp

Transfer pulled pork to a platter or serve directly from the skillet. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over. Offer extra braising jus at the table. Recommended pairings: Two Hearted Ale, Frita Margarita or a Passionfruit Batido.

Garnish and serve

bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)

kosher salt

brown sugar, packed

smoked paprika

ground cumin

ground coriander

freshly ground black pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

cayenne pepper

olive oil

yellow onion, sliced (about 1 large)

carrots, peeled and chopped

celery stalks, chopped

fresh garlic, crushed

fresh ginger, thinly sliced

star anise

whole cloves

bay leaves

apple cider vinegar

chicken broth (or pork stock)

dark beer (optional, e.g., Two Hearted Ale pairing suggestion)

orange juice

low-sodium soy sauce

honey

fresh cilantro, chopped

green onions, thinly sliced

lime wedges

neutral oil (for searing, optional)

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

kosher salt (to taste)

AROMATIC PULLED PORK

Make AROMATIC PULLED PORK Recipe in just 4h . pair w / Two Hearted Ale, Frita Margarita, Passionfruit Batido

AROMATIC PULLED PORK

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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