Yield: 6 to 8

Adapted from Washington Post

For this recipe, the meat is coated in an overnight marinade of brown sugar, fennel, sage and rosemary, and a slurry of orange and lemon juices whisked together with olive oil.
The resulting braising liquid is a flavorful and fragrant concoction. Either serve as is or skim the fat from it and simmer the remaining liquid to reduce and enrich the flavors, for an au-jus-like result.

Pork and marinade:

• 1(3- to 4-lb) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 to 3 large pieces
• 2cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1TBS dark brown sugar
• 1½tsp ground fennel
• 1½tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1½tsp chopped fresh sage
• 1½tsp fine sea or table salt
• 1tsp garlic powder
• 1tsp onion powder
• ¾tsp freshly ground black pepper
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 4TBS olive oil, divided
• 1large yellow onion (about 12 oz), halved and sliced

For Instant Pot:

• ½cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• ½cup dry white wine

Marinate the pork: Thoroughly dry the pork, then poke the meat, avoiding the skin side, all over with a sharp paring knife. Stuff the garlic slices into the holes.

In a large bowl, add the brown sugar, fennel, rosemary, sage, salt, garlic and onion powders, pepper, and the zest and juice of both the lemon and orange and whisk until combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until combined. Add the pork pieces and turn them over a few times, making sure they are generously coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and pat the meat dry.

You can brown the pork in either a skillet or the IP. I prefer the skillet as it does a faster, better job.

Brown the pork in a skillet: Working in batches, sear the pork until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared pork to a plate and set aside and repeat with the remaining pork.

Brown the pork in Instant Pot: Set a 6-quart Instant Pot (IP) to SAUTE. Let the pot heat for 2 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Working in batches, sear the pork until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared pork to a plate and set aside and repeat with the remaining pork.

Pour off as much fat as possible from the skillet or Instant Pot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, followed by the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Pressure cook the pork: Return (or add) the pork, along with any accumulated juices, to the IP and pour the cider and wine around the meat. Add the reserved marinade and cover. Make sure the steam valve is sealed. Select PRESSURE (HIGH) and set the timer to 1 hour 15 minutes. (It can take up to 10 minutes for the appliance to come to pressure before cooking begins.)

Let the pressure release naturally. Carefully uncover the IP and transfer the pork to a cutting board. Taste the cooking liquid and if it seems thin or weak, set the IP to SAUTE and simmer the liquid until it reduces slightly and the flavors concentrate, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, if desired.

Transfer the pork to a platter and spoon some of the sauce around it. Alternatively, you can shred the pork using 2 forks or a knife and a fork. Serve warm.