Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple Cider Braised Pork is a delicious Fall-inspired dish made by slowly simmering pork shoulder or pork butt for a few hours until it is fall-of-the-bone tender.

The juicy pork absorbs the sweet and earthy flavors of the apple cider, white wine, apples, and herbs, bringing a cozy and warm one-pot dinner meal that you will fall head over heels with.

A bowl of braised pork with apples on top of mashed potatoes

Here are some of my other favorite meats that is braised and slow cooker until tender and melts in the mouth: Beef Tips and Gravy, Pot Roast, Chicken and Dumplings.

Table of Contents

Braised Pork Shoulder/ Pork Butt

Pork shoulder or pork butt is originally a pretty tough cut of meat, but when braised or slow cooked for a few hours, becomes tender and just melts in the mouth. It also happens to be inexpensive and very budget-friendly compared to other cuts of meat.

There’s something magical about braised pork shoulder or pork butt cooked low and slow in sweet spiced apple cider. You can use other braising liquid such as chicken stock, but I love the sweetness from the cider that pairs like a dream with pork.

This Fall, I developed an apple/ apple cider obsession…making apple cider pork chops, apple cider sangria, caramelized apples, baking apple cinnamon bread, apple crisp, and finding every opportunity to bake anything with apple cider. Somebody stop me please!

And now this Apple Cider Braised Pork…I love this recipe with all my heart. It is cozy and warming for the cooler autumn season, and I’m so here for it.

Pork shoulder is braised in a large Dutch Oven over the stovetop in white wine, apple cider, garlic and herbs for a few hours, and the complex flavor born from this is just incredible. It’s not a lot of work cooking it this way, but it takes time for the meat to turn soft.

During this time, the pork sucks up all the juicy delicious flavors from the sauce, and their fibers get broken down. When it’s done, the pork slices like butter.

The flavor profiles of this apple cider braised pork is very autumn inspired. This is one of those recipes that make your whole house smell like Fall and the holidays and will warm the belly and souls of loved ones gathered around the table.

If you don’t have a Dutch oven or stovetop cooking for 3-4 hours is simply not feasible, I have include a slow cooker and instant pot methods of cooking apple cider braised pork shoulder as well.

A Dutch oven loaded with apple cider braised pork shoulder being shredded up, topped with herbs

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to bring this apple cider braised pork shoulder to life:

boneless pork shoulder – pork butt can also be used, as well as bone-in pork shoulder. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. There’s no need to use expensive cuts for this recipe because we will br braising the pork for a few hours until it is tender.
yellow onion – aromatic and flavor bringer. A must! White or sweet onion can be used as well.
apple cider – Use good quality apple cider. I like to get homemade apple cider from the store. You can make your own too! Note that this is different from apple cider vinegar.
garlic – fresh garlic cloves brings the best flavor. Avoid using garlic powder for best flavor.
dry white wine – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio are good choices. Avoid white zinfandel or fruity white wines.
fresh thyme – usually found in the produce aisle of most grocery stores. Avoid using dried thyme for best flavor.
fresh rosemary – fresh herbs brings incredible flavors. Avoid using dried herbs because the flavor is a lot more muted.
apples – a true fall produce! Granny smith, Honeycrisp and Fuji are some of my favorites to use to make Apple Cider Braised Pork, but any apples work!
kosher salt – the salt brings out the flavors that are cooked together as well as seal the meat. I
ground black pepper – season this to taste.

How to Prepare Apple Braised Pork

To get the best fall-apart tender, juicy pork, we braise our apple cider braised pork on the stovetop in a Dutch oven for 3-4 hours. I highly recommend this method for the best flavor and texture. Remember to plan ahead!

Braising in Dutch Oven

While it takes a few hours to cook down the pork shoulder, this recipe only requires about 15 minutes of active time to complete the initial steps for braised pork shoulder, then we just leave to simmer!

First, heat a Dutch oven or braising pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil once hot.

Pat dry and bring pork shoulder to the pot to sear. Season liberally with salt and black pepper. Pork should be seasoned well so it sucks up all the flavors. If needed, cut pork shoulder into smaller chunks so that it cooks quicker.

Sear each side of the pork (including shorter sides) so that all sides are seared and browned (like the picture below).

When pork is seared, remove from Dutch oven and set aside.

Add more olive oil to Dutch Oven if needed. Then add the aromatics – garlic and sliced onions. Saute until onions are soft.

Deglaze Dutch Oven by adding white wine. Use a spoon or spatula to scrap the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil.

Searing pieces of shoulder in Dutch oven, then searing onions and garlic, then deglazing with white wine

Return pork shoulder to Dutch oven.

And then add apple cider. Add enough to cover 3/4 of the pork, but don’t worry about fully submerging the pork (see picture below for reference).

Add sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary. If you are using other herbs, this is the time to add them.

Adding broth into a Dutch oven, then adding herbs

Cover Dutch oven, lower to relax the heat to bring the pot to a simmer. Then let pork simmer and slowly cook for ~3 hours.

When pork has been cooked for 3 hours, occasionally checking to make sure heat is maintained at a simmer, uncover Dutch oven and add sliced apples.

Cover Dutch oven and cook for 45 more minutes.

Use a fork and knife to shred the pork shoulder – at this point it should be tender and collapse at the touch of the fork!

Sliced apples in the dutch oven with apple cider braised pork before and after cooking

I highly recommend serving this herb infused, sweet and savory apple cider braised pork on top of mashed potatoes, risotto or polenta.

Alternatively, you can turn this into pulled pork by finely shredding the meat, filling buns with it, and making sandwiches or sliders..

It is cozy and comforting, like a warm hug on a crisp autumn day. YUM!

Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Methods

For Slow Cooker:

Season and sear the pork on the stovetop, then remove and set aside. Next, sear the onions and garlic.
Grease the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and add pork shoulder, onions and garlic
Add white wine, apple cider and herbs into slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 6 hours.
In the last hour of cooking, add sliced apples to slow cooker.
Season with salt to taste to open up the flavors.

For Instant Pot

Use the Saute function to sear pork, then remove and ser aside. Next sear onions and garlic.
Deglaze the pot with white wine, then add pork shoulder back to Instant Pot.
Add rest of the ingredients – apple cider and herbs.
Seal the Instant Pot, set to manual mode, and cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes.
When done, do a Quick Release to manually release the pressure.
Add sliced apples, seal and cook on High Pressure for 1 minute.
Season with salt to taste to open up the flavors.

Top down view of a pot of shredded pork with cooked apples

Storage and Reheating

This braised pork shoulder recipe can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To reheat, bring it to a full defrost if frozen, and reheat in the microwave or oven.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips and tricks for braising apple cider pork to get it consistently fall-off-the-bone, super tender, saucy, and full of flavors:

Choosing the Right Wine: It is best you avoid using sweet white wine such as White Zinfandel or other fruity white wine when cooking pork braised in apple cider. It is most suitable to use dry white wines such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Gris when cooking this type of pork dish.
Deglazing the Dutch Oven: When you add wine to cook the apple cider and oregano braised pork pieces, you will be loosening the sticky browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. This will result in more intense flavors. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen up anything that is stuck.
The Use of Herbs: Feel free to use other herbs such as bay leaves, fresh sage instead of in addition to fresh thyme and rosemary.
Cooking it Low and Slow: This braising method of cooking the pork shoulder low and slow will break down the fibers and make the pork tender and soft. Don’t rush the process!
Keep it Covered: Keep in mind that you will have increased chances of burning your apple cider and oregano braised pork if your Dutch oven has an uneven fitting lid or is left uncovered. Ensure that your lid is tightly sealed so that the meats and vegetables all retain flavorful juices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?

Yes, you can use apple juice instead of apple cider if needed. However, apple cider typically has a richer flavor. To mimic the tartness and depth of apple cider, consider adding a splash of apple cider vinegar when using apple juice.

How do I know when the pork is done?

The pork is done when it is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. However, the long cooking time at a lower temperature will ensure the pork is tender and juicy, not dry.

Can I use a different cut of pork?

Other parts of pork that you can use for braising are pork loin or pork tenderloin. However, pork shoulder has a good amount of fat, which adds flavor and keeps the meat juicy during the long cooking process. Also, since we are cooking it for a long time, there’s no need to spend money on an expensive cut of meat because even a tough cut of meat will get tender.

I’m short on time. Is there any way I can cut down cook time?

You can cut pork shoulder into smaller pieces and you may not need to cook it for the whole 3 hours for it to be fork tender.

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