Braised Pork Shoulder

Preparation is moderate.

Preparation time is 4 hours.

Yield: 8 servings.

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 pound bone-in pork shoulder, skin removed and fat still attached (2.5 to 3 kilogram)
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 2 cups of orange juice (500 millilitres)
• 1 cup lime juice (250 millilitres)
• 1 cup canola oil (250 millilitres)
• ½ cup chipotle chillies (125 grams)
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of coarse salt (15 grams)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (15 grams)
• 1 tablespoon ground toasted cumin seeds (15 grams)
• 1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns (15 grams)

For the mojito:

• 2 cups orange juice (500 millilitres)
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic (30 grams)
• 1/2 cup canola oil (125 millilitres)
• 1 cup minced shallot
• 1 jalapeno diced and seeded
• 6 tablespoons lime juice (90 millilitres)
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt (a good pinch)
• Peanut oil for frying

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine all the ingredients except the pork shoulder in a food processor and mix for 2 minutes, until well combined.
3. Place the pork shoulder in a large enough bag to hold it, then add the marinade and close the bag with a twist tie. Wrap it in another bag.
4. Transfer the pork to a bowl large enough to hold the bag and marinate it in the fridge for 2 days, turning the bag occasionally to make sure the marinade covers the pork.
5. When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven and remove the pork from the bag.
6. Transfer it to a roasting pan, fat side up, add 3 cups of water and pour the marinade on top of pork.
7. Cover it with foil and cook for 1 ½ hours then turn the pork fat-side down and cook for another 1 ½ hours or until the meat is almost falling of the bone.
8. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and discard the foil.
9. Cook the pork for a further ½ hour fat side up until brown.
10. Remove the pork from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.
11. Test it with a meat thermometer in thickest part of pork, not touching bone, until the temperature reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit.