BBQ Sauce Braised Pork Shoulder

Name: BBQ Sauce Braised Pork Shoulder
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3-3.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1.5-inch cubes; 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt); 2 teaspoons oil; 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch strips; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed; 1 cup BBQ sauce; 1/2 cup water; optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons brown sugar if you like your BBQ sauce on the sweeter side; optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons apple cider or distilled white vinegar if you have a sweet sauce & like your BBQ sauce tangy

x @cook_5886383

I came up with this dish when the Hubbalicious was feeling something simple and BBQ-ish. Threw together some pork shoulder, the last of the accumulated BBQ sauce leftovers from Hub's rib smoking adventures, the last onion of last week, and some other odds and ends.

Sometimes when I make things with a fatty cut of meat, people will ask if they can substitute it with something leaner. Well, you can, and it'll still be ok, but there is something so truly delicious about BBQ sauce that gets caramelized with pork fat. And the texture is so much more tender, too.

With this kind of preparation, I'd rather eat a little less of the fatty pork shoulder than double the serving of a leaner cut, but that's my porkfat lovin' preference. :P

If you don't care for pork, you can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat cut into slightly larger pieces.

With this kind of preparation, I'd rather eat a little less of the fatty pork shoulder than double the serving of a leaner cut, but that's my porkfat lovin' preference. :P

If you don't care for pork, you can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat cut into slightly larger pieces.

x @cook_5886383

With this kind of preparation, I'd rather eat a little less of the fatty pork shoulder than double the serving of a leaner cut, but that's my porkfat lovin' preference. :P

If you don't care for pork, you can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat cut into slightly larger pieces.

With this kind of preparation, I'd rather eat a little less of the fatty pork shoulder than double the serving of a leaner cut, but that's my porkfat lovin' preference. :P

If you don't care for pork, you can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat cut into slightly larger pieces.

Saved

Ingredients

60 minutes

4 to 6 servings

3-3.5 poundsboneless pork shoulder cut into 1.5-inch cubes
1.25 teaspoonskosher salt
1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
1/2 teaspoononion powder
1/2 teaspoongarlic powder (not garlic salt)
2 teaspoonsoil
1medium onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch strips
4 clovesgarlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1 cupBBQ sauce
1/2 cupwater
optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons brown sugar if you like your BBQ sauce on the sweeter side
optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons apple cider or distilled white vinegar if you have a sweet sauce & like your BBQ sauce tangy

Saved

Steps

60 minutes

1

Season the pork shoulder cubes with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. I like to sprinkle the seasonings over the entire area of the meat so it starts out already well distributed before I give it a few tosses to make sure it's even more evenly distributed. (I also like to just do this right on the cutting board after cutting and save myself a dirty dish.)
2

In a large pot, bring your oil up to medium high heat and sear the pork on two opposite sides for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
3

Add in the onion, garlic, BBQ sauce and water (and/or brown sugar and/or vinegar if you choose), give the mixture a couple of stirs, and cover completely until you hear the mixture boiling (should be 5 to 7 minutes).
4

At that point, turn the heat down to medium low, give the braise a couple of stirs, and simmer, completely covered, for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you can scrape any burnt solids from the bottom of the pot during this process, your heat's a little too high, and you should adjust it down slightly.
5

Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes to allow the liquids to reduce and concentrate in flavor, stirring occasionally. About halfway into this last simmer period is when you should taste and adjust the seasoning for more salt and/or spices if you like. This will give the added seasoning time to meld. Always increase salt and spices in small amounts - you can always add, but you can't subtract.
6

We like this with mashed potatoes or potato salad. Enjoy! :)