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Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple cider braised pork shoulder with fork-tender pulled pork in a tangy-sweet cider sauce, plus soft apples and onions. Braise at 325°F in a Dutch oven until the meat easily shreds.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork shoulder
  • 1 boneless pork shoulder (4 pounds) cut into 2 large pieces
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Braising base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 cup apple cider
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
Aromatics and fruit
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 apples cored and cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the pork with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
Sear and build the braise
  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven until hot, then sear pork for 4-5 minutes per side until well browned. Remove the pork to a plate.
  2. Add onion to the Dutch oven and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Pour in apple cider, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar, scraping up the browned bits. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Braise
  1. Nestle pork back into the liquid and add fresh thyme and fresh rosemary. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the pork is starting to get very tender.
  2. Add apples to the Dutch oven and continue braising, covered, for 45 minutes more. Cook until the pork is fork-tender and the apples are soft.
Shred and reduce
  1. Shred the pork into large pieces. Simmer the liquid on the stove for 10 minutes to reduce, until glossy and slightly thickened.
  2. Serve the pork with the reduced sauce and apples. Spoon generously so each portion gets pork, apples, and onions.

Notes

For the best shredding, braise until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork—if it resists, give it 15-30 minutes more covered. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven at 300°F until hot. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and cut the brown sugar by 1 tablespoon.