New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce

This New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce is a house favorite and I know it will be one of yours, too. It couldn’t come together quicker, the sauce that is, but for this pulled pork, it’s low and slow roasting in the oven.

New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce

The original recipe comes from The Plantation Cookbook by the Junior League of New Orleans. This cookbook is a treasure and I highly recommend it. I sometimes make this Pork Tenderloin with Orange Sauce, marinating the tenderloin overnight and then grill it.

For this recipe I decided on a pork shoulder, cooking it for 7 1/2 hours, allowing it to fill my house with the most amazing aroma. Instead of marinating the pork shoulder I decided to use that mixture to baste the pork while roasting.

What temperature should my oven be at?

I set mine at 225°F for a low and slow cook.

How long does it take to roast a pork shoulder?

If I’m going to be making pulled pork I make a lot. You can always freeze the leftovers. I typically get a 10 pound pork shoulder. Roast your shoulder at 225°F at 90 minutes per pound.

This 5 pound boneless pork shoulder took a little over 7 hours to smoke.

What temperature is roasted pulled pork done at?

If you’re going for fall apart pulled pork, then cook until internal temperature reaches 205°F.

What came out of the oven was fall apart, unctuous, amazing pulled pork. Everything was beyond tender and mostly all the fat had rendered away, keeping the pork moist and tender.

It’s so easy to prep the orange sauce, which is simplicity and perfection in one sauce. It’s so good and packed with flavor, the clove and cinnamon mixed with the tangy citrus is brilliant.

In a saucepan place the sugar, orange juice, zest, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Turn the heat to medium and  place cloves in a cheesecloth and tie. Drop the clove packet in the orange sauce and continue cooking on low until thickened. The sauce will be an amber, almost clear sauce at this point. Discard the bundle of cloves. What you have is one amazing sweet, spiced, tangy sauce to dip your pulled pork in.

The rest was easy. I took the pork out of the pan and shred it quite easily with two forks. The orange sauce would seriously compliment the pulled pork as a dipping sauce, but feel free to drench it and serve it up in sandwiches for a Summer lunch party.

I ended up with 5 pounds of pulled pork and have another idea for the leftovers as we had a party to attend and I’ve been tasked with bringing the appetizer.

This is definitely worth checking out, give it a try. The pulled pork is crispy on the outside edges, tender and so moist on the inside. It’s so succulent and tender because of the basting while roasting and the flavors that develop are wonderful as is the aroma that fills your kitchen.

If it seems like a lot of time, make it on  the weekend and believe me everyone will be poking their head in the kitchen asking if it’s done yet. They won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!

New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce

New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce - an aromatic orange sauce made with orange juice, zest, cinnamon and cloves that's perfect for dipping.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American, Western

Keyword: homemade orange sauce, New Orleans Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce, plantation pulled pork, pork and orange recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 7 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

• 4-5 lb pork shoulder

Basting Sauce:

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 soy sauce
• 1/3 cup Marsala wine
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp ground ginger or fresh

Orange Sauce:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 20 whole cloves tied in cheesecloth

Instructions

• Combine the basting sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk to mix thoroughly. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 225° F. Season the pork shoulder on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Place in a roasting pan and cook for 4 hours uncovered. Baste with sauce every 30 minutes.
• Pour balance of basting sauce over the pork shoulder and cover with aluminum foil. Continue roasting for 3 1/2 more hours. Remove from pan, discard the bone if there is one, and place in a bowl. Shred using 2 forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Cover with aluminum foil and make the sauce.
• In a saucepan place sugar, orange juice, zest, cornstarch cinnamon, salt and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium and place cloves in a cheesecloth and tie. Drop in the orange sauce and continue cooking on low until thickened. The sauce will be an amber, almost clear sauce at this point. Discard the bundle of cloves.
• Serve as a dipping sauce with the pulled pork.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 621mg | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 37.3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Have you made this recipe? Let me know on InstagramTag @KevinIsCooking and hashtag me #keviniscooking!