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Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Apple cider braised pork shoulder is slow-braised until fall-apart tender, then shredded and served with a caramelized pan sauce. This Dutch-oven method builds deep flavor with apple slices, smashed garlic, and fresh thyme for an autumn-style main dish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork and braising liquid
  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder
  • 2 cup hard or fresh apple cider
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 apples, cored and quartered
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic, smashed
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 1 Mashed potatoes for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the pork
  1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, turning as needed. This should take about 8 to 12 minutes total for good color.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Remove the pork, then sauté the onion and smashed garlic in the pot for 3 minutes. Stir often so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Build the braising sauce
  1. Whisk the apple cider, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Pour the mixture into the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits.
Braise with apples and herbs
  1. Return the pork to the pot, then add the quartered apples, fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary. Cover tightly so the braise stays steamy.
Cook until fall-apart tender
  1. Braise in the oven at 325°F for 3-1/2 to 4 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender. Look for meat that shreds easily when pressed with a fork.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the pork in the juices, then spoon the sauce over mashed potatoes to serve. Make sure each portion gets both pork and apple cider sauce.

Notes

For maximum tenderness, keep the Dutch oven covered during the full braise and avoid peeking too often. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of cider or broth if the sauce thickens. Freeze braised pork (with sauce) up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use a low-sodium chicken broth and reduce the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon while keeping the cider vinegar for balance.