This pulled pork is covered in an orangey-sweet hot sauce that reminds me of the coating on Asian orange chicken. Many cayenne pepper sauces are paleo friendly, and it’s always exciting to find commercially-made condiments that are clean! It’s one less thing you have to make yourself.
Prep time 20 minutes
Serves 10
1 large orange, zest and juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
4- to 5-pound (1.8 to 2.2 kg) pork roast (loin or shoulder)
2/3 cup (160 ml) paleo-friendly hot sauce, divided
1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut aminos
1/4 cup (85 g) honey
3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice vinegar
1 lime
Cauliflower Rice, Squash Noodles, or Paleo Tortillas, for serving
1 Combine the zest from the orange, the pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub everything together with your fingers, then rub the mixture all over the roast.
2 Place the roast in a 6-quart (5.7 liter) slow cooker, fat-side up. Pour 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot sauce over the roast.
3 Cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours for a loin roast or 7 to 8 hours for a shoulder roast. The meat should be tender and pull apart easily.
4 While the roast is cooking, combine the juice from the orange (about 1/4 cup, or 60 ml), coconut aminos, honey, and rice vinegar in a small skillet. Cook it over medium heat and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until it has reduced and thickened some. Set the glaze aside.
5 Transfer the roast to a large plate or platter, shred the meat, and return it to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Stir in the glaze, the remaining 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot sauce, and the juice from half of a lime. Taste, and add more lime juice or salt if necessary.
6 Serve with desired side dish.
