Crispy Pork & Cola Lime Glaze Recipe

Prepare pork

Pat the pork dry with paper towels. If using a piece with skin, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern about 1 cm apart, being careful not to cut into the meat.

Mix the dry rub: in a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and ground cumin.

Rub and rest: rub the pork all over with the vegetable oil, then massage the dry rub evenly into the meat. Place the pork on a tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to let flavors penetrate. If refrigerated longer than 1 hour, bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Roast until tender: preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Place the pork on a rack in a roasting pan (fat side up). Roast for 2 to 2.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches about 85°C (185°F) and the meat is fork-tender. Roast time varies with cut and size — check after 90 minutes and baste once with rendered juices.

Combine glaze base: while the pork roasts, pour cola into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, lime juice and lime zest. Stir to combine.

Reduce: bring the mixture to a simmer and cook gently for 10–12 minutes until slightly reduced and the flavors meld. Taste and adjust: add chili flakes if you want heat. The glaze should be sweet-tangy and syrupy but still pourable.

Thicken: mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering glaze and cook for 1–2 minutes until the glaze thickens to a glossy coating consistency. Remove from heat and keep warm. (If the glaze becomes too thick, thin with 1–2 tbs water.)

Crisp the exterior: when the pork is tender and removed from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the pork into thick pieces (about 1–1.5 cm). Heat neutral oil or lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, sear the pork slices 1–2 minutes per side until the edges are deeply browned and crisp.

Glaze: briefly return the skillet to medium-low, pour 3–4 tbs of the warm cola-lime glaze over the seared pork and toss gently to coat, cooking 30–45 seconds more so the glaze adheres and becomes sticky. Remove to a platter. Reserve extra glaze in a small bowl for serving.

Garnish and serve: sprinkle chopped cilantro over the glazed pork and serve with lime wedges on the side. Offer remaining glaze on the side for drizzling.

Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet and refresh glaze if needed.