Description
A comforting dish featuring tender pork shoulder braised in apple cider, perfect for gatherings and family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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 your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Trim any excess fat from the pork.
- Pat the pork pieces dry, season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear pork for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- While searing, whisk together apple cider, chicken stock, dijon mustard, and dehydrated minced onion in a bowl.
- Use kitchen twine to tie the rosemary and thyme together.
- Once pork is browned, pour in the braising liquid and add the herb bundle and garlic head. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
- Braise for about 3 hours, flipping halfway through, checking for tenderness at 2.5 hours.
- When pork is almost fork-tender, add onions and apple wedges, cover, and return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes until very tender.
- Let pork rest in the braising liquid for 30 minutes, then adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve with juices, apples, and onions.
Notes
Choose a pork shoulder with some marbling for extra flavor and tenderness. Fresh herbs will enhance the flavor, but dried herbs can work as well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 180 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg