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Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple cider braised pork shoulder with fork-tender meat and soft apples in a rich cider-Dijon sauce. Braised in a Dutch oven at a low 325°F until pull-apart, then reduced on the stove for a glossy finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pork shoulder
  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder cut into 2 large pieces
salt
  • 2 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion large, sliced
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic smashed
apple
  • 2 apples cored and cut into wedges
apple cider
  • 2 cup apple cider
chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
fresh thyme
  • 4 sprig fresh thyme
fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprig fresh rosemary

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F, then season pork with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Use a Dutch oven-ready cut size so it browns evenly.
Brown and build the braise
  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven until hot, then sear pork 4-5 minutes per side until well browned and browned bits form. Remove pork to a plate.
  2. Cook sliced onion for 5 minutes in the same Dutch oven. Add smashed garlic for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
  3. Stir in apple cider, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom until the sauce looks cohesive.
Braise
  1. Return pork to the Dutch oven with fresh thyme and fresh rosemary, then cover and braise at 325°F for 2 1/2 hours. The pork should look tender around the edges.
  2. Add apple wedges and braise, covered, at 325°F for 45 minutes more until the pork is fork-tender. The apples should turn soft and slightly translucent.
Finish and serve
  1. Shred the pork into large pieces, then return it to the Dutch oven. Simmer the liquid on the stove for 10 minutes to reduce until it coats a spoon.
  2. Serve the pork with the sauce and apples. Spoon generously so each bite has cider sauce, softened onions, and fruit.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the Dutch oven covered during the two braising periods so the pork steams until fork-tender. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze in portions up to 3 months (reheat gently to avoid drying). For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar to 1 tbsp since the cider still provides sweetness.