Braised Pork With Prunes and Orange  Recipe (2024)

All due respect Mary Ellen Marte - that’s not the recipe. Not even a little. I made the recipe and it’s incredible. I doubled the orange zest and threw in a few more prunes. I ran out of sherry vinegar so I subbed with more red wine. Incredibly delicious dish on a cold February night! Let that meat really braise - I added more time on the end after adding prunes- so good!

Step 3: what if you soaked the prunes in port wine? Still need brown sugar and sherry vinegar?

What I do: in a slow cooker, place 2/3rds of 6 C of sliced cabbage & a sliced onion. Add 4 lbs pork, dusted w salt & pepper, studded w garlic cloves. Add 1 t fennel, 2 whole anise stars, 1/2 C dry sherry & 1/2 C of prunes. Top w last of cabbage n onion. Cook high 5 hours or til pork falls apart, shred pork, mix all. Pack 1/2 C of prunes in a mug, just cover 2/3rd w cognac and 1/3 water, microwave 30 sec. Skin, slice a sweet potato, microwave. Mix both into hot pork mix, + lemon 2 taste. Yes!

This was outstanding. I used the port rather than the vinegar/ brown sugar combo. I used more orange zest than recommended and forgot to use the orange segments. I used dried thyme and will go with fresh next time. I might use a little Grand Marnier next time. Served with mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Looking forward to leftovers.

This is delicious, just as written! I used port for the prunes because I had it.

This was gorgeous. Used my cast iron then transferred to pot. browned all over. Used port and pinch of salt for prunes, and in lieu of sherry vin (I cut with red wine vin). Added a bit more broth so meat was submerged. After final cooking, turned down oven to 250 to sit/wait for dinner. My shallots were elephantine and yielded nearly 2 cups finely chopped, but they completely dissolved in the braise. The orange was subtle but added such complexity! Served with spätzle. Giant win.

I made this just as the recipe is written, and everyone in my family found it to be exceptional--one of the best NYTimes recipes yet.

Made pretty much as written but used red wine vinegar instead of Sherry vinegar. Added both 2 tsp dried thyme as well as half a bundle of fresh thyme tied with string. Used pork butt and cut into 1" cubes as I didn't want folks to have to cut them when eating. The flavor was incredible, very savory with a hint of sweetness. Next time I'll cut the prunes in half. I cut each orange segment in half and it was a great fresh bright counterpoint to the rich stew. Everyone loved it!

Made a few updates on a whim. My Dutch oven does not have an oven safe lid, so I cut the pork in small enough chunks that cooking it entirely on the stovetop with a glass lid produced a stew fit for a slow cooker. Per Shazziz' comment, I tripled the orange zest in the cooking process along with a few additional splashes of red wine along the way (I used a perfectly dry Tempranillo). Without realizing it until I cut them open, I actually used blood oranges, and I added them during cook time!

Made this exactly as written and it was spectacular. Simple ingredients but great flavor.

It's fine to use pork loin. Reduce cooking time to 45 min.

Made as written, used a Boston butt, came out amazing. Not everybody in an apartment has sherry vinegar and a big Dutch oven and a thyme plant on the deck. If you can pull it off, it's worth the trouble.I'm usually very suspicious of garnishes - too often, they make a dish feel like it's under stuff in the compost bin, and orange bits seemed dangerously on that path. No fear - they were a fabulous addition. Will make again!

This was terrific and fairly easy. I followed the recipe generally. I swapped out the sherry vinegar for rice vinegar per internet suggestions since I didn't have sherry vinegar. I braised the meat for 90 minutes and then another 45 or so but at about 400 since I needed the higher oven temp to roast carrots and sweet potatoes. The meat was perfectly tender and flavorful. I served it over polenta. Fantastic.

Very tasty. Made as directed except added a bit more chicken broth. Next time I will add more prunes as well. Meat was nice and tender.

I didn't have prunes so I used dried tart cherries and it was delicious.

An answer to the question about using port. The first time I made this I used vinegar and sugar, though cider vinegar. The next time I had tawny port on hand and used that. The flavor was improved and more complex, but I felt it was a bit sweet. So I added the juice of half a lemon just before serving and it was perfect. So use the port if you have it, but finish with some acid.

A wonderful dish with polenta. Tender and amazing flavor! Great to make for a special occasion!

This was excellent. Used port to soak the prunes, otherwise followed the recipe. My only change going forward would be to use less salt

Love, love, love this recipe! The orange zest-prune-pork combo is just what you’re looking for.

This is a keeper! Made the slow cooker version last night for friends but added a cup of chicken broth like the recipe for the oven calls for and used the port for marinating the prunes. Really delicious and will definitely add this to my repertoire for entertaining.

Warming and satisfying. Towards the end of cooking I added a little black soy sauce to it to bring down the strong acid note. The salt and molasses flavor of the soy gave it a little more richness, and it wasn't so assertively sour.

Made this exactly as directed except I didn't bring everything to a boil on the stove. I forgot that step. Didn't make a difference. This was outstanding and will be made again except I'll add more orange zest and wine.

Made as is - So. Good. Served with polenta and a fresh green salad.

Made this for dinner yesterday, and while the flavor was good, I believe there is a significant error in the recipe. The last step says "uncover the pork and add the prunes and their soaking liquid." The words "uncover the pork" are unnecessary and misleading — how else could you add the prunes? The error is that it doesn't say to REPLACE THE LID for the additional 40 to 50 minutes of cooking; my failure to do so resulted in a thick, gooey sauce and dried out pork.

Used Taylor Madeira, added a handful of frozen peas when it came out the oven. Fantastic. On boiled potatoes with green beans. Next time try polenta.

I made this just as written and used port instead of vinegar. Delicious. Even impressed my son, the chef!