Caribbean Braised Pork With Citrus Recipes

CITRUS-BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Mix orange juice, onion, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, salt, oregano, cumin, lime zest, pepper, and bay leaves in a heavy Dutch oven. Add pork shoulder; turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Remove Dutch oven from the refrigerator and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake pork in the preheated oven until heated through, about 1 1/2 hours. Flip pork carefully. Replace foil and bake for 1 hour more. Remove aluminum foil. Continue baking uncovered, turning once halfway through, until pork falls apart and marinade is reduced, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Remove pork from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Shred pork in the Dutch oven using 2 forks; mix shredded pork with the reduced marinade. Discard bay leaves.

CARIBBEAN BRAISED PORK WITH CITRUS

Steps:

• Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the pork, stirring to coat the meat.
• Refrigerate covered overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pork from the marinade, reserve the marinade.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat and brown the pork in batches.
• Transfer the pork to a plate and add the reserved marinade to the pot, stirring to dissolve the brown bits in the bottom of the pot.
• Cook until the marinade is reduced by half and add the pork and remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.
• Serve garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

CARIBBEAN BRAISED OXTAIL WITH MANGO CHOW

Steps:

• For the Jamaican curry rub: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place whole coriander, allspice, anise, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and peppercorns on a sheet tray evenly spread out. Bake 3 to 5 minutes. Place the ingredients in a spice grinder or blender and grind to a fine consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in a bowl with the turmeric and store in an airtight container for later.
• For the oxtails: Combine the flour and smoked paprika in a large bowl and set aside for later. Remove 2 ounces of the dredge and set aside for thickening the sauce.
• Combine the salt, pepper and 1/2 ounce curry rub in a bowl and mix well. Place the oxtails in a large bowl. Sprinkle the oxtails with all of the seasoning. (The oxtails should be coated heavily.)
• Dredge each oxtail in the flour dredge, then shake any excess flour off. Place on a sheet tray and let sit 2 to 4 hours.
• For the Caribbean bouquet garni: Unfold a 12-by-16-inch piece cheesecloth completely so that its length is perpendicular to your waist. Place the thyme, bay leaves and chiles at the bottom of the cloth and roll up, folding the outside of the cloth in to close the ends. Wrap up until it is tight, then and tie off with the butcher's twine, leaving the string long so it can be tied to the pot.
• For the braised oxtails: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the garlic, carrots, celery and onion in a container. In a large rondeau, heat up the oil to its smoke point, 2 to 3 minutes. Sear the oxtails until bronzed on each side, then remove from the oil. Reduce heat if pan is smoking too hard, then add the diced vegetables and saute until they are translucent. Add the salt, allspice, paprika, pepper and 1/4 cup curry rub and continue to saute to toast the spices, 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved flour dredge and mix well to incorporate, stirring for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. (This will help thicken the sauce as it braises.)
• Deglaze the pan with the sherry and bring up to a simmer. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste and oxtails and bring up to a boil. Tie the bouquet garni to the side of the pan and cover tightly with parchment and foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours, then add beans, recover, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking, until oxtails are fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours more.
• For the Caribbean braised oxtail: Place 12 ounces hot oxtails in a saucepan with 2 cups sauce on medium heat. When the pan starts to boil, add the butter and cilantro. Baste each piece of oxtail 5 to 6 times with a spoon and turn off the heat.
• Mount all the rice to one side of a deep bowl and place the oxtails on top for height. Place the sauce on the other side of the bowl. Place Mango Chow on top and garnish with the cilantro sprigs, followed by 4 rings shaved chiles.
• Combine garlic, mangos, lime juice, chiles, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and adjust seasoning as needed.

SLOW-ROASTED PORK WITH CITRUS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Pulse the garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander and cumin seeds, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor to make a thick paste. Trim off all but a thin layer of fat from the pork, then make deep slits all over the roast (about every 2 inches) with a paring knife. Rub the spice paste over the pork and into the slits.
• Mix the citrus juices, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil in a large glass bowl. Submerge the pork in the marinade and top with the onions and reserved orange and lemon peels. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before roasting.
• Preheat the oven to 450. Remove the citrus peels from the bowl and refrigerate. Place the pork on a rack in a large roasting pan (reserve the marinade and onions); roast, uncovered, about 1 hour. Add the marinade to the pan and pile the onions on top of the meat. Cover with foil, lower the oven temperature to 350 and roast 2 more hours. Uncover, place the citrus peels around the pork and continue to roast, basting occasionally, until the meat browns and a thermometer inserted into the bottom half registers 190, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim any excess fat from the pan juices. Slice the pork and serve with the onion and pan juices. Garnish with citrus peels.

BRAISED PORK SHANK

Steps:

• For the brine: Bring the water to a simmer in a large non-reactive pot. Turn off the heat and add salt, sugar, coriander, peppercorns, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a simmer. Whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved, and then let it cool in the fridge or an ice bath until the brine hits a temperature of 35 degrees F.
• Add the shanks to the cooled brine and weigh down with a plate to ensure that the shanks are completely submerged. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• After brining, remove the shanks from the brining liquid to a baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel to dry off a bit. Discard the brining liquid.
• For the braise: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil so that it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven or roasting pan completely. Put some flour in a shallow dish. Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the flour and whisk to combine. Dredge the shanks in the flour, shaking off the excess, and add them to the pan. In order to get a nice even golden-brown sear, you don't want to overcrowd the pan. (Do this step in two batches if necessary.) Brown the shanks on all sides, a few minutes per side, then remove to a plate while you sear the rest.
• Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme with a large pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by three-quarters. Add the apple cider and reduce by half. Add half the chicken stock and bring the braising liquid up to a simmer. Taste it for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if necessary. Place the shanks back into the pan; the liquid should go about halfway up the shanks. If it does not, add the rest of the liquid until it reaches the desired half. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the meat is tender, about 200 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the shanks from the oven and carefully transfer the shanks to another large pan. Then strain the braising liquid over the shanks. Cool them in the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, reheat the shanks in their liquid. Then remove them to a large serving platter. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the meat.

BRAISED PORK IN ORANGE SAUCE (CARNE DE PUERCO A LA NARANJA)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot, add pork cubes and saute over medium-high heat until cubes start to brown, about 10 minutes. The cubes may give off a lot of water; if so, continue cooking and stirring until water evaporates. Add caramel coloring and continue cooking and stirring until pieces are a rich brown. Do not let caramel coloring burn.
• Add all the remaining ingredients except the flour and orange juice paste. Stir to mix well. Then add flour paste and mix well so there are no lumps in the sauce. Lower heat to barely simmering, cover pan and leave to cook 1 hour or longer, until pork cubes are tender and sauce is thick and unctuous.
• Serve immediately, removing bay leaves, cinnamon stick and fresh thyme sprig. Garnish with thin slices of unpeeled orange or orange wedges, and serve with rice and beans, and West Indian vegetables, such as yams, yautia and malanga.

CITRUS-SPICE CARIBBEAN/CUBAN MARINADE FOR PORK, BEEF, CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag or glass pan.
• Add your choice of pork, beef, chicken or fish.
• Marinate for at least two hours.
• Prepare in your preferred method of cooking.

CITRUS PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chops for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. , Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. In the same skillet, cook garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the orange juice concentrate, broth and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. , Pour 1/4 cup sauce over pork. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°, basting twice with sauce. , Bring the remaining sauce to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Serve pork chops with sauce and rice.

CARIBBEAN JERK PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine water, lemon juice, onion, brown sugar, green onions, oil, salt, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup for basting.
• Place pork chops in shallow glass dish. Pour remaining marinade over the meat. Cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
• Preheat grill for medium heat. Place grate 4 to 5 inches above heat source.
• Oil the grill grate. Arrange chops on grate, and discard marinade. Cover grill, and cook chops for 10 minutes, turning once, or to desired doneness.