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Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder

Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder balances rich, tender meat with a bright citrus backbone, rounded out by warm cumin, oregano, and aromatic garlic and onion. The slow braise concentrates the juices into a glossy sauce that clings to every shred. Serve for a cozy weekend dinner, tacos for a crowd, or meal prep that stays flavorful all week.

  • Prep35 mins
  • Cook8 hrs 55 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

32 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactPoor
36 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
2 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
52 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

37
Heart Health
55
Metabolic
14
Digestive
20
Inflammatory
40
Performance
27
General Wellness
  1. 1

    In a heavy Dutch oven, combine orange juice, onion, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, salt, oregano, cumin, lime zest, black pepper, and bay leaves. Add the pork shoulder and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight.

  2. 2

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Take the Dutch oven out of the refrigerator and cover it tightly with aluminum foil.

  3. 3

    Cook in the preheated oven until heated through, about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully flip the pork. Replace the foil and cook 1 hour more. Remove the foil. Continue cooking, uncovered, flipping once halfway through, until the pork falls apart and the marinade is reduced, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.

  4. 4

    Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Return the pork to the Dutch oven and shred it using 2 forks. Stir the shredded pork into the reduced marinade. Discard the bay leaves.

About This Recipe

Orange Lime Braised Pork Shoulder is made with 13 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 9 hrs 30 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bone In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Dark Brown Sugar, and Dried Bay Leaves. Each serving provides about 424.94 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bone-In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Dark Brown Sugar, Dried Bay Leaves, Dried Oregano. The full list of 13 is above.
How long does it take to make Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder?
About 9 hrs 30 mins in total: 35 mins to prepare and 8 hrs 55 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 424.94 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 13 ingredients and 4 steps.
Is Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder healthy?
Orange-Lime Braised Pork Shoulder has an easyChef Pro health score of 32/100. Per serving, it provides 424.94 calories and 25.62 g of protein, or 51% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 8.32 g (42% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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