Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
I don’t know if its the bitter cold dark mornings or the cheerful twinkling lights sparkling from our Christmas tree, but all I want is to be cozy at home. Give me all the warm soft blankets, hot cups of tea and a stack of good books to read. Bonus points for a warm comforting meal, (especially if I can enjoy it under my pile of blankets while I read my book).
I think we all know that’s a pipe dream, especially this time of year when the calendar seems to fill right up whether we want it to or not (although I reserve the right to fall into a pile of blankets if the snow starts falling). So, If I can’t hibernate any time soon, the least I can do is make a hearty, cozy, delicious meal perfect for cold winter nights.
This apple cider braised pork shoulder is an easy one-pot dinner sure to be on your winter meal rotation. Pork shoulder is cooked low and slow in a bath of sweet apple cider, onions, apples and herbs until it literally falls apart.
I like this recipe because you add the apples and onions to the pot towards the end of the cooking time. This helps them hold their shape and flavor a bit while still being incredibly tender and flavorful. A few hours in the oven is all this pork shoulder needs to turn into a decadent tender meal, perfect for cozy nights at home.
I often offer all kinds of swaps and changes you can make to my recipes so they can be tweaked to your preference, but this one doesn’t have a lot of room for changes. If you don’t have a red onion, a large sweet onion will be just fine. You can also use whatever apple you have on hand, it doesn’t have to be a cosmic crisp. Just choose a sweet crunchy apple for optimal texture and flavor in your dish.
Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
4-5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups apple cider
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 large cosmic crisp apple, cored and sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 tablespoon coarse black pepper, divided
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper.
In a large dutch oven, sear the pork shoulder in olive oil over medium-high heat, about four minutes per side, until the pork is deeply brown and beginning to crisp on each side. Depending on the size of your dutch oven, you may need to cut your pork into pieces (leave the bone in for the cooking process) and work in batches.
While the pork sears, whisk together the apple cider, chicken stock, dijon mustard, maple syrup, dried minced onion, rosemary and thyme.
Once the pork is browned on all sides, pour the braising liquid over the pork, turning the meat a couple times to get everything good and covered. Place the lid on the dutch oven and cook in the preheated oven for about 3 hours. Make sure to flip the pork over at least once, halfway through the cooking process. When the pork is fork tender (but not completely falling apart), remove from the oven and add the apple and onion to the pot. Cover with the lid and return to the oven for the last 45 minutes to hour cooking time. When the pork has reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees and begins to fall apart with just a fork, the meat is done.
Shred the meat in the braising liquid, removing the bone. To serve, scoop the meat and some of its juices along with the cooked apples and onions onto a plate. Serve alongside a pile of mashed potatoes and crusty bread. A wintery salad like a kale Cesar salad or an arugula salad with pears and gorgonzola cheese would be a lovely addition to this meal if you’re looking for something a little lighter. Enjoy!