Braised Pork with Honey, Orange, Herbs & Rosemary

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and season pork Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. Pat **5–6 pounds boneless pork shoulder chunks** dry with paper towels. Season the pork all over with **2–3 teaspoons kosher salt** and **1–2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper**.
2. Brown the pork in batches In a large **7-quart Dutch oven**, heat **1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil** over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add about one-third of the seasoned pork in an even layer and cook without stirring until well browned on the first side, about 7 minutes. Flip the pieces and brown on the second side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the browned pork to a bowl, then repeat with the remaining pork, working in 1–2 more batches as needed, adding a drizzle of oil only if the pot looks very dry.
3. Soften the onion Reduce the heat to medium. Add **1 thinly sliced red onion** and about **1/2 teaspoon kosher salt** to the drippings in the pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and beginning to pick up color, about 3–5 minutes.
4. Deglaze with wine Pour in **1 cup dry white wine** and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
5. Build the braise Stir in **1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary**, **4 bay leaves**, **2 teaspoons dried oregano**, **1 tablespoon fennel seeds**, and **1/4 cup dark honey**. Return all of the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add **1 cup water** and stir to combine, making sure the meat is mostly submerged.
6. Braise until tender Bring the mixture just to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the preheated 325°F oven. Braise for **2 to 2½ hours**, or until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
7. Remove pork and reduce the sauce Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork pieces to a large bowl and cover to keep warm. Tilt the pot and skim off and discard as much fat as possible from the surface of the braising liquid. Place the pot over medium-high heat and stir in **1/2 cup orange juice**, **2 tablespoons lemon juice**, and the remaining **1/4 cup dark honey**. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and a spatula dragged through the liquid leaves a brief trail, about 8–10 minutes.
8. Finish with herbs and vinegar Off the heat, stir in **1 tablespoon grated orange zest**, the remaining **1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary**, **3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano**, and **3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar**. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
9. Coat the pork and serve Return the braised pork and any juices to the pot and gently fold to coat every piece in the honey–orange herb sauce. Warm over low heat for a few minutes if needed. Serve the braised pork hot, spooning extra sauce over each portion.