Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Generously salt all sides of the pork shoulder chunks. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces until surface is seared and crusty, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pork to a plate. Add onions to oil and reduce heat to medium and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add torn sage leaves; cook until onions soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Pour cider into pot; stir to deglaze bottom. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low.
• Transfer pork shoulder pieces to cider mixture. Cover; simmer gently on low 1 hour. Remove lid and turn pieces over. Cover; simmer on low until meat is fork tender, 1 to 2 more hours. Transfer pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Raise heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer. Whisk in creme fraiche. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of cayenne. Transfer pork back to pot; reduce heat to low. Baste pork with sauce while it heats through and becomes perfectly tender, and the sauce is as thick as you want it, about 15 more minutes.

SLOW COOKER APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear pork on all sides in the hot oil until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to the slow cooker.
• Reduce stovetop temperature to medium; cook and stir shallots and celery in the skillet until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour shallot mixture over pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add apple cider, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Cover, set slow cooker to Low, and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 6 hours. Turn pork over every 1 to 2 hours. Remove pork roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Pour remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a large saucepan; place over high heat. Discard bay leaf and other solids. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, decrease heat and cook, skimming fat from the top, until reduced to 1/4 of the original volume, about 10 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in cold butter until incorporated. Sprinkle in fresh herbs and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cut pork into 1/4-thick slices and serve with sauce poured over the top.

APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F.
• Pat dry the pork with paper towels and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
• To the heated oil add the pork and brown on all sides; about 5 minutes per side.
• Remove pork from the pot and set it aside.
• Add onions to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
• Deglaze the pot with wine.
• Stir in thyme, rosemary, and paprika.
• Add the pork back to the pot.
• Add in the apple cider, chicken broth, and bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil.
• Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.
• Transfer the pork to the oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F and cook for 2 hours.
• Remove lid from the pot and drop in the apples.
• Cover and continue to cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the pork registers at 145˚F.
• Remove from oven and return the pot to the stovetop.
• Remove pork and transfer it to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil; cook for a couple minutes, or until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
• Cut pork and serve with onions, apples, and sauce.

APPLE CIDER PORK POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• Season the pork with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork and brown well on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the pork and add the onion wedges to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, letting them get a little color but being careful not to let them burn.
• Return the pork to the pot, placing it on the bed of onions. Add the cider and 1 cup (235 ml) water and bring to a simmer, then wedge the apple pieces under the meat among the onions. Toss in the thyme.
• Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender, shreds easily, and is a deep brown color; the apples will have caramelized.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
• Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
• Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.