Braised Southern-Style Pork Shoulder with Bourbon Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A tender pork shoulder slow-braised in a rich bourbon glaze infused with regional southern spices, perfect for hearty dinners. This Southern-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 190 min Serves 6 Southern cuisine 550 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 3 lbs pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp at edges.
  2. Step 2: Remove pork and add 1 large diced onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tbsp smoked paprika and 2 tbsp brown sugar, cooking for 1 minute to bloom spices. Pour in 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey to deglaze, scraping browned bits for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
  4. Step 4: Add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups chicken broth, then season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Return pork shoulder to pot, add 3 fresh thyme sprigs and 1 bay leaf.
  5. Step 5: Cover and braise in oven for 3 hours, basting pork halfway through, until meat is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. Remove pork and reduce sauce on stovetop over medium heat for 10 minutes until thickened and glossy.
  6. Step 6: Slice or shred pork and spoon bourbon glaze over. Serve with mashed potatoes or cornbread.

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