Slow Cooker Apple Cider Braised Pork

This pork shoulder recipe combines pork shoulder with apple cider in a slow cooker, where it is cooked for several hours until tender. Reduce the cooking liquid to create a thick and flavorful sauce you can pour over the sliced pork.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 6 hr 30 mins
• Total Time: 7 hr
• Calories: 389 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (Italian parsley, sage, or thyme)
• 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2.5 cups apple cider

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Season pork with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pork; sear on all sides until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Step 2

Add shallots and celery to same skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to slow cooker.

Step 3

Add apple cider, garlic cloves, and bay leaf to slow cooker; cover. Cook on Low until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 6 hours, turning pork every 1 to 2 hours. Transfer pork to a plate; cover loosely with foil.

Step 4

Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh-sieve, discarding solids, into a large saucepan over high heat. Bring sauce to a boil, then decrease heat and cook, skimming fat from top, until reduced to 1/4 of original volume, about 10 minutes.

Step 5

Off heat, stir Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper into sauce; slowly whisk in cold butter until incorporated. Sprinkle in fresh herbs; season with salt and black pepper.

Step 6

Cut pork into 1/4-inch thick slices. Serve with sauce.