What can I use instead of mirin?

It's pretty hard to substitute mirin; when making teriyaki, I've not found a substitute that tastes quite right. That said, in this recipe, you can safely substitute with 1/4 cup rice vinegar + 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey. Mirin can be hard to find; I can only get TRUE mirin from a local hipster market that imports pantry staples. Several brands make what's called "aji-mirin", that is designed to taste like mirin but isn't made the same.

Can I use a bone-in pork shoulder?

Yes, go for it! You'll just have to increase the cook time by an hour or two.

How can I get the sauce to reduce and thicken?

If the pork is done but the sauce is a little too liquidy, remove the pork pieces from the pot. Turn the heat up to a fast simmer and simmer for 10-20 minutes to reduce the sauce further. Skim the fat off the top if you've got the time! Then break the pork up and add it back to the pot, stirring into all that syrupy goodness.

Orange Braised Pork Shoulder in Dutch Oven

Description

Low and slow Orange Braised Pork Shoulder is the ultimate make-ahead recipe, and a perfect intro to meal prep. You'll have pounds of meat ready for bowls, tacos, sandwiches, or even a soup or stew.

See the NOTES for Oven and Slow Cooker Instructions.

Ingredients

Units Scale

5-6 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-4 large pieces
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 medium oranges
5 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 3" piece ginger, finely chopped
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (See Notes)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
For serving: cooked basmati rice, fresh chopped cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Season the pork shoulder on all sides with the salt. Heat 2 tablespoons olive in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until browned on each side, working in 2 batches if needed. Once each side is browned, remove from the Dutch oven.
Meanwhile, peel strips off of 1 orange. Cut both oranges and squeeze as much juice as you can out. Combine the orange peel, orange juice, smashed garlic, ginger, tamari, mirin, honey, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup water in a bowl, stirring to combine.
Pour the sauce mixture into the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Nestle the pork pieces back into the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the Dutch oven and reduce to a simmer, cooking without lifting the lid for 2 hours.
Crack the lid, only partially covering the pot, and continue to simmer for another 1-1.5 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork and sauce has thickened. If the sauce hasn’t thickened to your liking but the pork is done, remove the pork pieces before shredding and continue to simmer the sauce, uncovered, until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Break the pork apart (no need to shred fully) and add it back to the pot to coat in sauce.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and saute until translucent, stirring frequently. Season with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, until deeply caramelized and browned, adding water to the pan if it becomes dry.
Serve the pork over cooked rice and top with caramelized onions and chopped cilantro. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

Mirin alternative: It's tough to replicate mirin, but for this recipe you can omit the mirin and add 1/4 cup rice vinegar + 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 equal-sized pieces. Season the pork on all sides with salt.
[OPTIONAL, BUT RECOMMENDED]: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat, until shimmering but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until browned on each side. Once each side is browned, remove from the pan.
Place the browned pork in the slow cooker and add broth and sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until the meat easily pulls with a fork.
Remove the pork and pour the sauce into a saucepan over medium-high heat, simmering until it has reduced and thickened. Break the pork up, add it to the pan, and coat in sauce. Serve immediately with caramelized onions or store in the fridge for up to a week.

Oven Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and move an oven rack to the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 equal-sized pieces. Season the pork on all sides with salt.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat, until shimmering but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until browned on each side, working in batches if necessary.
Add the pork, sauce, and broth to the Dutch oven. Cover and transfer to the oven for about 3 hours, until pork is tender and gives easily when pierced with a fork.
To thicken the sauce a little more if needed, remove the pork and pour the sauce into a saucepan over medium-high heat, simmering until it has reduced and thickened. Break the pork up, add it to the pan, and coat in sauce. Serve immediately with caramelized onions or store in the fridge for up to a week.