Say hello to the most flavorful, fall-apart-tender, sticky and sweet pork you’ve ever had! This Pasture Raised Caramel Pork is all about bold, balanced flavors — sweet, salty, tangy, and just the right amount of heat. If you're part of our Grassroots Meat Club you may have received pork stew meat in your subscription box – this is such a great option to enjoy tender shredded pork in less time than it takes to slow cook a whole roast!

This dish starts with caramelized sugar, then gets hit with fish sauce, lime juice, shallots, garlic, ginger, spicy Thai chilies, and coconut water for an insanely delicious sauce. The pork slow cooks for just 2 hours until melt-in-your-mouth tender, then crisps up in its own rendered fat, soaking up all that caramelized goodness. Serve it over rice, wrap it in lettuce cups, in bahn mi sandwiches, or just eat it straight from the pan — no judgment here!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp avocado oil or pasture raised lard
• 2 Lbs. Pasture Raised Pork Stew Meat (or 1-inch cubes of Boston butt)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce (soy sauce works too but fish sauce gives great depth and isn't fishy in the final product!)
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and grated finely or minced
• 1 Tbsp ginger, peeled and grated finely
• 1-2 Bird's Eye / Thai chilis (I use Habañero when my store is out of Thai chili – it has a similar fruitiness to the Thai chilis. More for garnish if you like it really spicy)
• 2 cups coconut water
• Cilantro or scallions for garnish, finely diced
• Additional Thai chilis for garnish, if you'd like
• Steamed Jasmine rice, for serving
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F

Remove pork stew meat from packaging, pat dry, and season with kosher salt. Heat a large Dutch oven or enameled cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil or lard, and once that's heated, sear the meat in batches, taking care not to overcrowd so the meat gets a nice golden exterior on all sides. Once all meat is seared, add diced shallot to the same pan, followed by a small pinch of salt, and sauté until softened. 

Reduce heat to medium. Add brown sugar and 1 Tbsp water, stir, and let cook until deep caramel colored – just a few moments. Reduce heat to low and add fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, ginger, and Thai chilis (or habañeros if that's what you can find). Stir well to combine, add the pork back to the pan followed by the coconut water.

Bring to a boil then turn off the heat and transfer to 325°F oven (WITHOUT a lid). In about 1.5 – 2 hours you should have shreddable pork and a sticky delicious caramel-y sauce. 

Serve over steamed rice and garnish with fresh cilantro or scallions. Enjoy!

We hope you like this recipe! If you’d like to share your delicious dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag us @1915_Farm

*Note: you may be wondering if this recipe would work in a crockpot or slowcooker, but unfortunately it won't be quite as successful. The evaporation/reduction of the sauce that takes place uncovered in the oven, is key for the sticky delicious end result. 

P.S. If you love our delicious pasture raised heritage pork – consider subscribing to the Grassroots Meat Club (ships free in TX, reduced in other states). Each Grassroots Meat Club box includes a variety of hand-selected grassfed and pasture raised meats, such as chicken breasts, chicken tenders, leg quarters, wings, thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken, ground beef, kabobs, stew meat, stir fry, cutlets, London broil (top round), beef roasts, beef ossobuco, short ribs, various sausages, pork roasts, pork chops, bacon, ground pork, fajita meat, country style ribs, spare ribs, and bacon!

Recipe by Closet Cooking