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Braised pork shoulder simmered in broth and wine with onions and herbs to make tender, fall-apart pork with a delicious sauce over top.
Tips For Braising Pork Shoulder
The hardest part of this recipe is the patience. Braising creates a tender, flavorful piece of pork. However it does take a while to do, so this is best made ahead or on the weekends.
How to Properly Prepare the Meat
- Section the shoulder into pieces. I cut my 3-pound pork shoulder into 3 close-to evenly sized pieces. This allows you to season cook it more evenly. It also makes shredding easier.
- Sear until it’s golden brown. Searing the meat not only adds tons of delicious flavor, but it also helps seal in all the deliciousness while the meat cooks. The key here is to sear it long enough to get that dark, golden brown like the picture below.
Can You Use Bone-In Pork Shoulder?
Yes. I sometimes have a hard time finding boneless pork shoulder, so feel free to use a 5-6 pound bone-in shoulder.
When you cut it up, you’ll have four pieces: Cut as close to the bone as you can, but still cook that! Then cut the remaining meat into 3 even pieces.
What’s in the braising liquid?
- 1 small onion – leaks or a fennel bulb would be great too
- White wine like sauvignon blanc – want to make it Whole30 or Paleo? – Just sub more broth for the wine.
- Chicken or Veggie Broth
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Nutmeg
- Bay leaves
- Thyme – bundle it up with twine so it’s easy to remove before serving.
Leftovers
Store any leftover meat with sauce poured on top in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Make it a Meal
If you’re stumped for ideas to serve with this dish, don’t worry. I’ve got some suggestions here for you:
- Roasted Rosemary Potato Wedges
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Pecans
- Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Shallots
- Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
Now to the good part, the recipe! Please pin for later and when you make it, let me know what you think. You can comment below OR find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Braised Pork Shoulder
What You Need
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 (3-4 pound) boneless pork shoulder but roast ((cut into 30 even pieces))
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 small onion roughly sliced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups white wine ((like sauvignon blanc))
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs of thyme ((bundled with cooking twine))
How to Make It
- PREPARE: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- SEASON AND BROWN THE PORK: Sprinkle the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Once the oil is hot, brown the pork on all sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate.
- COOK THE ONIONS: Reduce the heat to medium. If the pan is too dry, add a splash of additional oil, however is there is more than enough fat to coat the pan, you may want to drain any excess. Add the onions to the pan and season them with salt and red pepper flakes. Allow the onions to cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until they are soft. Add the garlic stir continuously for 30-60 seconds.
- CREATE THE SAUCE: Pour in the wine, simmer until it reduces by half (about 8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Stir the mustard and nutmeg into the sauce. Then return the pork and add the bay leaves, thyme and 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover and put the Dutch oven in the prepared oven. Cook for 1 hour.
- FLIP AND ADD MORE LIQUID: Flip the pork over and add 1 more cup of broth. Replace the cover and continue to cook for 1 more hour.
- UNCOVER AND FINISH COOKING: Turn the pork a final time and return to the oven uncovered for an additional 45 minutes.
- REST AND SERVE: After the pork has finished cooking, tent the meat lightly with foil and allow it to rest an additional 15 minutes. If there is any excess fat in the liquid, skim it off. Shred or slice the pork, removing any excess fat, and pour the juices over top when serving.
Pro Tips
- MAKE IT WHOLE30 OR PALEO – Replace the white wine with additional broth
- USING BONE-IN PORK SHOULDER – use a 5-pound roast, cut the bone off and then cut the remaining roast into 3 pieces, sear and cook all 4 pieces.
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