Description
This Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder recipe delivers incredibly tender and juicy pork with a subtle, sweet complexity from apple cider. It’s a perfect hands-off dish for feeding a crowd or for meal prepping, filling your home with irresistible aromas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (4-5 lb) boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large apple, cored and sliced
Instructions
- Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Mix together the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Rub this seasoning blend all over the pork.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shoulder on all sides until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer pork to a plate.
- Add the sliced onion to the pot and sauté until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in apple cider and chicken broth, scraping up any remaining bits from the pot bottom. Whisk in Dijon mustard and brown sugar. Add bay leaves and apple slices.
- Return the pork shoulder to the pot, nestling it into the liquid.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Braise in the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours, turning the pork halfway through, until the meat is fork-tender.
- Remove pork shoulder from the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Shred the pork and spoon some cooking liquid and apples over the top.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the pork with the spice rub overnight.
- Use freshly pressed apple cider for deeper apple flavor.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer the braising liquid after removing the pork until reduced.
- Can be made ahead and reheated.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 calories
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: N/A
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: N/A
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: N/A
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 0mg