Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 lb pork shoulder
  • 2 cups sliced onion
  • 1 apple, peeled and cubed
  • 1 orange, sliced thick
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Salt + pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°. Tie the pork shoulder with kitchen twine and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat an enameled dutch oven pot over medium heat on the stove. Brown pork shoulder on all sides, starting with the fat side down, roughly 8 minutes or so per side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add onions and apples and cook 2-3 minutes, or until onions just start to get translucent. Place the pork back into the pot, fat side up, and pour in the apple cider and arrange the garlic, thyme and orange slices. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Remove the lid and cook for another 20 minutes to brown the top of the pork. Remove from the oven and place the pork on a board to rest. Remove the orange slices and thyme. Simmer the sauce on the stove on medium-low heat while skimming the fat off the top and stirring for 20 minutes or until reduced by about half. The apples and onions will be nearly melted into the sauce. Serve in big chunks or thick slices with the sauce.

Recipe Notes

I love making braises because there is very little active cooking time required. I served this with a roasted acorn squash and some lemon sour cream on the side. The acorn squash and pork with apple braise sauce is sweet and savory, and the lemon-infused sour cream compliments those flavors well with some bright acidity. For the leftovers version of this dish, I cut the cold pork into big cubes, browned it in a skillet with some green beans and served it with leftover apple cider sauce and mashed potatoes. Crazy good.

Rating

Go get a pork shoulder and make this now.

Recipe Attempts

This recipe has been attempted by the author 1 time(s).
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