Make-Ahead Asian Pork Shoulder
Serves 6–8
David's Note:
- Spice up your weeknight dinner & save some time with this delicious make-ahead recipe.
Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.
Ingredients:
Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic
- .5" piece of ginger, peeled
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 Tbsp sambal oelek (Asian chile paste)
- 2 star anise fruits
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 1 orange, juice and zest
Pork:
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 3–4 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 4–5 pieces
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Preparation:
- To get ready for the pork and prepare the sauce, start by preheating the oven to 325°F.
- In a KitchenAid blender, combine all of the sauce ingredients and purée until smooth.
- To prepare the pork, start by preheating a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and adding the oil.
- Season the pork with the salt and pepper.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the pork in a single layer and brown it on all sides (multiple batches may be necessary). Remove from the sauté pan.
- Add the pork to an 8" x 8" baking dish in a single layer. Pour the prepared sauce over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. After 2 hours, flip over the pork pieces, cover the baking dish with the foil, and return it to the oven.
- Cook until the pork easily shreds and sauce has thickened, about 3–4 hours. Let the pork rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer, shred the pork using a fork or the paddle attachment over low speed. Toss the shredded pork with your desired amount of sauce from the baking dish.
- Serve immediately, refrigerate for 5–7 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.