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Braised Pork Shoulder Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 113 reviews

This tender and flavorful braised pork shoulder recipe combines the sweetness of fresh apple cider with aromatic herbs and garlic. Slow-cooked in a Dutch oven, the pork becomes melt-in-your-mouth delicious, enhanced by tender baked apples and onions. Perfect for a comforting, hearty meal with a balance of savory and sweet flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 4–5 lb pork shoulder roast or Boston butt roast

Liquids & Condiments

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil)
  • 2 cups fresh apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Seasonings & Aromatics

  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off opposite of the root end
  • 3 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Vegetables & Fruit

  • 1 red onion, cut into thick slices
  • 2 firm and slightly tart apples, peeled and cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 325°F to prepare for slow braising the pork.
  2. Prepare the pork: Trim any large fat caps from the pork shoulder. You can cut the pork into four large pieces or leave it whole if bone-in. Pat dry with paper towels, then season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on all sides.
  3. Sear the pork: Heat the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Place the pork pieces in a single layer and sear each side for 4-5 minutes, until deeply browned. Repeat for all sides. If your pot is small, sear the pork in batches to avoid overcrowding.
  4. Prepare the braising liquid and herbs: While searing, whisk together the fresh apple cider, chicken stock or broth, Dijon mustard, and dehydrated minced onion in a bowl. Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together into a small bundle with kitchen twine.
  5. Add liquid and herbs to pork: Once the pork is fully browned, pour the prepared braising liquid into the Dutch oven over the pork. Add the herb bundle and the sliced-off garlic head on top. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven.
  6. Braise the pork: Cook for about 3 hours, checking at 2.5 hours if your pork is boneless. Flip the pork halfway through cooking to ensure even tenderness. The pork should become almost fork-tender.
  7. Add apples and onions: Remove the pork briefly from the oven and arrange the sliced red onions and apple wedges around the meat. Cover and return to the oven for another 30 to 45 minutes. This step softens the apples and onions and blends their flavors with the pork.
  8. Rest and serve: Take the Dutch oven out of the oven and allow the pork to rest in the braising liquid for 30 minutes. To serve, squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their husks into the broth or directly onto the pork. Adjust the seasoning of the braising liquid with kosher salt and black pepper as desired. Spoon the flavorful juices over the pork, apples, and onions and enjoy.

Notes

  • For best flavor, use fresh apple cider rather than bottled or processed cider or vinegar.
  • If you prefer, bone-in pork shoulder can be left whole to maintain juiciness during braising.
  • Use a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot to ensure even heat distribution and sufficient capacity.
  • You can make this recipe a day ahead; leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
  • Adjust the apples to your sweetness preference; tart apples balance the richness of the pork well.
  • This recipe works well for slow oven braising but can also be adapted to a slow cooker with longer cooking times.

Keywords: braised pork shoulder, apple cider pork, pork roast recipe, oven-braised pork, Dutch oven recipe, savory pork with apples, comfort food pork

Find it online: https://cheframi.com/braised-pork-shoulder-recipe/