Pork Recipe

Trim and dry

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Trim any extremely large exterior fat caps if desired, leaving some fat for flavor and moisture (about 1 cm).

Make the dry rub

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

Rub the pork all over with olive oil, then massage the dry rub onto the entire surface, pressing to adhere. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to overnight (remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking).

Preheat and sear

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat a large heavy ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the pork shoulder on all sides (including edges), 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Work in batches if necessary. Transfer pork to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add sliced onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Deglaze

Pour in the apple cider or white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce for 2 minutes.

Add braising liquid

Add chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, bay leaves and thyme. Stir briefly, then return the seared pork shoulder to the pot, nestling it into the vegetables and liquid. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the meat — it’s fine if some of the top remains exposed.

Braise in oven

Cover the pot tightly with lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 to 3½ hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls apart (internal temperature around 93–96°C / 200–205°F). Check once halfway and spoon some braising liquid over the top if the surface looks dry.

Rest the pork

Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Transfer the pork to a cutting board or platter and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 15–20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Make finishing sauce

While the pork rests, place the Dutch oven back on the stove over medium heat. Skim off and discard any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the butter, chopped parsley and optional lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve

Shred or slice the pork as desired. Spoon the reduced braising sauce and vegetables over the meat. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread and a green vegetable.