Go Back

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple cider braised pork shoulder with fork-tender, pulled-apart pork simmered in a rich cider sauce with soft apples and onions. Oven braising at 325°F keeps the meat juicy while the liquid reduces into a glossy sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple cider braise
  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder Cut into 2 large pieces.
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion Sliced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Smashed.
  • 2 apples Cored and cut into wedges.
  • 2 cup apple cider
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 4 fresh thyme Fresh sprigs.
  • 2 fresh rosemary Fresh sprigs.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and braise
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F, then season pork with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
  2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat, sear pork until well browned, 4-5 minutes per side, then remove.
  3. Add sliced onion to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add smashed garlic and cook 1 minute.
  4. Pour in apple cider, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Return pork to the pot, add fresh thyme and rosemary, cover, and braise until starting to tender, 2 1/2 hours at 325°F.
  6. Add apple wedges to the Dutch oven and braise uncovered just enough to keep sauce bubbling, 45 minutes more, until pork is fork-tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Shred the pork into large pieces and return it to the sauce.
  2. Simmer the liquid on the stove to reduce, 10 minutes, until slightly thickened, then serve pork with the sauce and apples.

Notes

For best shredding, braise until the pork reaches deep fork-tenderness before adding apples. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cider. Freezing is not recommended for the best apple texture. For a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar to 1 tbsp while keeping the cider and mustard amounts the same.