Mexican braised pork shoulder with oranges and chilli

Mexican braised pork shoulder with orange & chili

Pork shoulder slow-cooked with an array of fragrant flavours!

PREP TIME 20 min | COOK TIME 3 hours 30 minutes | SERVES 6 

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder
• 1 orange, halved
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed 
• 1 cup orange juice
• 400 g tin diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup chipotle sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• ½ cup chopped fresh coriander, plus extra leaves to serve
• 1 fennel bulb, shaved, fronds reserved
• lime halves, to serve

Onion & jalapeño pickle

• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp caster sugar 
• 1½ tsp salt flakes
• 1 red onion, finely sliced 
• 2 jalapeño chillies, finely sliced 

METHOD

PREHEAT the oven to 150°C.

HEAT oil in a large flameproof, ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Season pork shoulder.

COOK pork for 5 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate. Cook orange halves, cut-side down, in the pan for 3 minutes or until caramelised. Transfer to a plate.

ADD onion and pepper; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and seeds; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

ADD the orange juice; bring to the boil, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to release any bits stuck to the bottom. Cook for 4 minutes or until reduced by half. Add tomatoes, chipotle sauce, oregano and barbecue sauce; season to taste. Bring to the boil. Return pork and orange halves to the pan. 

COVER and bake for 3 hours, or until very tender.

Onion & jalapeño pickle 

PLACE vinegar, sugar and salt flakes in a medium bowl; stir to dissolve. 

ADD onion and jalapeño; stir to combine. Stand, stirring occasionally, to lightly pickle. Drain before serving.

To serve

SLICE or shred pork. Stir chopped coriander through sauce. Serve with oranges, onion and chili pickle, shaved fennel and reserved fronds, extra coriander leaves and lime halves.

FOOD TEAM TIP: Mexican food is bold, diverse and delicious. It’s fun to cook and to eat, and encourages everyone to come together at the table. This tender, shredded pork recipe is the ideal sharing dish for a long lunch.

Print Recipe

Mexican braised pork shoulder with oranges and chilli

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder
• 1 orange, halved
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed 
• 1 cup orange juice
• 400 g tin diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup chipotle sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• ½ cup chopped fresh coriander, plus extra leaves to serve
• 1 fennel bulb, shaved, fronds reserved
• lime halves, to serve
• Onion & jalapeño pickle
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp caster sugar 
• 1½ tsp salt flakes
• 1 red onion, finely sliced 
• 2 jalapeño chillies, finely sliced 

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

2

Heat oil in a large flameproof, ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Season pork shoulder.

3

Cook pork for 5 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate. Cook orange halves, cut-side down, in the pan for 3 minutes or until caramelised. Transfer to a plate.

4

Add onion and pepper; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and seeds; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

5

Add the orange juice; bring to the boil, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to release any bits stuck to the bottom. Cook for 4 minutes or until reduced by half. Add tomatoes, chipotle sauce, oregano and barbecue sauce; season to taste. Bring to the boil. Return pork and orange halves to the pan. 

6

Cover and bake for 3 hours, or until very tender.

Onion & jalapeño pickle 

7

Place vinegar, sugar and salt flakes in a medium bowl; stir to dissolve. 

8

Add onion and jalapeño; stir to combine. Stand, stirring occasionally, to lightly pickle. Drain before serving.

To serve

9

Slice or shred pork. Stir chopped coriander through sauce. Serve with oranges, onion and chili pickle, shaved fennel and reserved fronds, extra coriander leaves and lime halves.

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ALSO SEE: Pork steaks with sauteed lentils

Pork steaks with Sauteed lentils

Feature image: Aremedia

Jezza-Rae Larsen

A food stylist and recipe developer, contributing to Food & Home and other esteemed magazines under Habari Media. I love for creating mouthwatering recipes, I bring culinary visions to life through my work.