Pork Recipe

Season pork

Pat pork pieces dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork pieces, making sure to coat evenly.

Brown pork

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary (don’t crowd the pan), sear pork pieces until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pieces to a plate and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and oregano and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and braise

Pour in the white wine (if using) and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Return the browned pork to the pot. Add the bay leaf and pour in chicken/pork stock so it comes about halfway up the pork pieces (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Check every 30 minutes and spoon some cooking liquid over the pieces.

Finish pork

When pork is fork-tender, remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high to reduce the braising liquid for 5–10 minutes until it thickens slightly (or remove pork, simmer liquid to thicken, then return pork). Stir in fresh lime or lemon juice and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf.

Rest and shred (optional)

If you prefer shredded pork, let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then shred with two forks and return to the sauce to absorb flavors. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro.

Prepare yuca

Place peeled, cut yuca chunks in a large pot and cover with water (about 6 cups). Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer.

Simmer yuca

Cook yuca until very tender and a fork slides easily into the thick part, about 20–30 minutes depending on piece size. Test for doneness and remove any tough fibrous core from the center of thicker pieces.

Drain and finish

Drain yuca well and return to the pot off heat. Add butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil; mash gently with a fork or potato masher to desired texture (either mostly whole pieces or slightly broken). Season to taste with additional salt. Stir in chopped cilantro or parsley if using.

Spoon yuca onto plates as a side. Place whole or shredded pork over or beside the yuca, spooning some of the reduced braising sauce on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the pork.