Soy and COla- Braised Pork Shoulder

This is from Cooking Light October 2011

My husband's aunt wanted to try this recipe so I made it for dinner using what I could find in a kitchen that was not mine. :) See my notes to the side of the recipe.

1 T. dark sesame oil (I didn't have, so I used olive oil.)
1 (3 1/2 lbs) bone-in pork shoulder (boston butt), trimmed
1/2 t kosher salt
1 T minced peeled fresh ginger (dumped in a lot of dry. I would like to use fresh next time.)
4 garlic cloves, minced (NECESSARY and more)
2 cups cola (such as Coca-cola. I had one can of some diet off brand cola. I would like the real thing next time and the required amount.)
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
1 cup diagonally sliced green onions (didn't have)

cucumber
carrot

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt. Add pork to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove pork. Add ginger and garlic; sauté for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in cola and the next 3 ingredients (through soy sauce_; bring to a boil.

Return pork to pan; cover. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 50 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Remove pork from pan, and let stand for 10 minutes. Shred pork with 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid.


HERE is where things were more difficult with kids in the kitchen. Next time, I want to just throw it in the crockpot after browning the pork and cooking the sauce. I totally forgot to turn the pork while it was in the oven for 2 hours! It turned out alright but didn't really shred. I think, it would be a lot more tender if put in the crockpot on low for 8 hours.


3. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring cooking liquid to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until reduced to about 2 cups, stirring occasionally. Combine pork and 3/4 cup sauce in a bowl; toss to coat. Top with green onions. Serve pork with remaining 1 1/4 cups sauce.

I used less pop so mine didn't really condense much.


We put ours on Kaiser rolls with shaved cucumber and carrot ribbons tossed with rice vinegar. So good! It also suggests stuffing a tortilla with the meet and matchstick-cut cucumber and carrot. The taste was not heavy or saucy like what I think of with pulled-pork. I am excited to try this recipe again.