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Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder - Ideas for Easter Dinner
Main Course

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

This Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder is an easy one-pot dinner recipe that is so cozy and perfect for the fall months. Tender pork cooked low and slow in a bath of fresh apple cider, onions, apples, and fresh herbs.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Makes: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lb pork shoulder roast or boston butt roast*
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 cups fresh apple cider* (not apple cider vinegar)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off opposite of the root end
  • 3 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 1 red onion, cut into thick slices
  • 2 firm and slightly tart apples*, peeled and cut into wedges
  • kosher salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat an oven to 325 F.
  • Start by trimming the pork of excess fat, if there are large fat caps. Cut the pork into 4 large pieces, or leave it whole if it's bone-in.
  • Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel and season liberally all over with kosher salt and pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, arrange the pork in a single layer. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side until the pork is deeply browned. Repeat on all sides. Depending on the size of your dutch oven, you may need to do this in batches.
  • While the pork is searing, whisk together the cider, stock or broth, dijon, and dehydrated minced onion together and set aside. Use kitchen twine to tie the rosemary and thyme together in a small bundle.
  • Once the pork is browned all over, pour in the braising liquid. Arrange the herbs and garlic head in the pot with the pork, cover and place in the oven.
  • Braise for 3 hours or so (start checking at 2 and a half hours for boneless), flipping the pork halfway through. Once the pork is just shy of fork tender, remove the pork from the oven and arrange the onions and apples around the pork. Cover and return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes. The pork should be very tender at this point.
  • Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest in the braising liquid for 30 minutes before serving. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the husk into the broth or onto the pork. Season braising liquid to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the juices spooned over the pork, apples, and onions.

Notes

*for notes on whether to use boneless or bone-in pork, refer to the above blog post.
*If you notice that your pork is especially fatty, consider trimming some excess fat before searing.
* the best apples are firm, slightly-tart apples like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, etc. 

Please know that apple cider is NOT the same as apple cider vinegar--do not use vinegar in place of apple cider for this recipe. 

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 39gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 314mgPotassium: 896mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 83IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 3mg