Honey-Soy Braised Pork With Lime and Ginger

Name: Honey-Soy Braised Pork With Lime and Ginger
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder, trimmed of big hunks of fat and cut into 2 pieces; 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped; 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (from one 3-inch piece); 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste; 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest and 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lime), plus more lime wedges for serving; 1 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce (see Tip); 1 cup honey; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; Cooked rice, noodles or lettuce cups, for serving; Toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, for topping

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated March 6, 2020

Honey-Soy Braised Pork With Lime and Ginger — Christopher Simpson for The New York Times

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Rating: 5(2,009)
Comments: Read comments

This is a wonderfully simple and hands-off way to prepare a flavorful hunk of meat, equally suited to a weeknight or a dinner party. There is no need to brown the pork first because the meat gets appealingly dark and caramelized while braising in the rich combination of soy sauce and honey. Fresh cilantro, scallions and a squeeze of lime added just before serving bring freshness. This meal is flexible: It works over rice or other whole grains, tossed with noodles or wrapped in lettuce leaves.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

3 to 4pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder, trimmed of big hunks of fat and cut into 2 pieces
8large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
3tablespoons minced fresh ginger (from one 3-inch piece)
1teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
2teaspoons finely grated lime zest and 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lime), plus more lime wedges for serving
1cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce (see Tip)
1cup honey
1tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Cooked rice, noodles or lettuce cups, for serving
Toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, for topping

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the pork in a large Dutch oven that has a lid. Scatter the garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes and lime zest over the top. In a measuring cup, whisk together the tamari, honey and sesame oil, then pour it over the pork. Using tongs, turn to coat all sides of the pork in the sauce, and spoon some over the top so that some of the garlic and ginger is on top of the pork. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.
Step 2
Uncover the pot and flip both chunks of pork. Cover the pot and braise until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 1 more hour. Transfer to the stovetop.
Step 3
Using tongs, transfer the pork to a serving platter or a large shallow serving bowl. Using a ladle, skim and discard the excess fat off the surface of the cooking liquid remaining in the Dutch oven, if desired. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and let it simmer until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 8 minutes.
Step 4
While the sauce simmers, coarsely shred the pork using two forks. Sprinkle the lime juice over the top of the meat. Drizzle about half the sauce over the top of the shredded meat, then toss to combine. Serve over rice or noodles or in lettuce cups. Top with sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro. Pass the remaining sauce at the table, if desired, as well as extra lime wedges and red-pepper flakes.

Tip

Tamari, a gluten-free Japanese fermented soy product similar to soy sauce, is generally a little less salty than grocery store soy sauce, and it works slightly better in this recipe.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,009 user ratings

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Comments

Whit5 years ago

Really excellent! I followed other cooks' tips and used only 1/2 cup tamari, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil; all other ingredients as stated. I did sear the pork chunks first (old habit, but I do think it helps!), then cooked everything in the InstantPot for 70 minutes w/ 20 minute natural steam release, and it was perfection. Served with jasmine rice, quick pickled cucumbers and red onions, scallion-ginger sauce, and lettuce cups.

Note4 years ago

Made this in the instant pot, pressure cooked for 30 min. Added a cup of water so that the sauce wouldn't burn while getting up to pressure. After 30 min, took lid off and let it boil until sauce reduced down.

KSWinCA4 years ago

I made about a quarter of the recipe, using 2 large, boneless country-style ribs. They're a shoulder cut, but more manageable for 2 people. I cooked it on the stove top for the entire time (about 2 hours for the "ribs.") I turned the leftovers into a sort of warm Asian pork salad: I shredded the meat and added it (and leftover juices) to some freshly cooked rice noodles, cilantro, green onions, and grated carrot. Both nights' meals were delish.

Annie6 days ago

This recipe is fantastic, easy, and great for the family. Made it as is for Father’s Day with rice, kimchi, sautéed Chinese broccoli, herbs and cucumbers. I left the lid on the entire cook and it rendered the pork down great with a luscious sauce. Took about 3.5 hours for me. Will make this again and the sauce will keep on giving!

Jim on the Prairie3 weeks ago

Loved this! So easy and so good. I did add a little liquid to keep the sauce from getting to think, but my wife said this needs to go into the rotation!

Deborah1 month ago

Made it exactly as written. I felt the tamari overpowered the sauce (I know some of you said you cut it in half) and it just felt like a fair amount of prep for a very nice version of pulled pork. The ginger and garlic just didn’t come through

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