Apple Cider Pulled Pork

5 from 1 vote

This delicious, fall-apart tender apple cider pulled pork shreds so effortlessly, and it's packed with sweet and savory flavors from the apple cider infused braising liquid. It's great for sandwiches or to serve on bowls.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3 30

Total Time4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 894kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

7 to 8 quart Dutch oven

Ingredients

6 pounds bone-in pork shoulder excess fat trimmed
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Olive oil for searing
2 large yellow onions
6 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
2 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
2 ½ cups unfiltered apple cider the fall beverage, see notes below
1 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 honeycrisp apples sliced
6 fresh sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme
8 brioche buns for serving
Apple cider BBQ sauce for serving

Apple kale slaw

2 cups chopped kale
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar divided
Olive oil as needed
1 honeycrisp apples cut into matchsticks
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup greek yogurt
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Season pork shoulder generously with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
In a large 8-quart Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork on both sides until a nice golden brown crust forms. Remove from the pot. Tip: Let sear undisturbed on all sides so it gets a nice golden brown crust.
Into the same pot, add more olive oil and cook the onions over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until softened, adding a splash of broth to deglaze. Add garlic, minced thyme and minced rosemary, and cook for 2 more minutes. Tip: Use a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the pot.
Stir in the chicken broth, unfiltered apple cider, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
Add half of the sliced apples. Then add the seared pork back into the pot, and arrange the remaining apple slices and sprigs of thyme and rosemary around it, gently pushing them down under the liquid. The pork should be almost submerged in the braising liquid. If not, add more broth or cider.
Bring back to a low simmer. Cover tightly with the lid, and braise in the oven for 3 hours until it’s fall-apart tender.
When ready, remove from the oven and shred the pork with a fork. Discard the bone and the herb sprigs.
Make the apple kale slaw: In a bowl, gently massage the kale with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and a few drizzles of olive oil. Then, add the remaining slaw ingredients and toss to combine.
To serve, pile some pulled pork over brioche buns, drizzle with apple cider BBQ sauce (or your favorite sauce), and the prepared slaw. Enjoy!

Notes

Apple cider: Use unfiltered apple cider (the fall beverage). If you can’t find it, substitute with pure pressed Simply Apple Juice (not the light color bottle apple juice).
Use pork shoulder, bone-in or boneless. Don’t use pork loin, as it’s not fatty enough to stay tender.
Sear undisturbed. This is the key to amazing flavor and to lock in moisture.
How much braising liquid: If you use a 7 or 8 quart pot, this recipe should be enough to cover almost all the pork. If not, top it off with more broth or cider.
Best apples: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Gala (avoid Red Delicious).
Make ahead: Cook fully, refrigerate with liquid, and reheat gently the next day.
Storage and freezing: Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze cooled shredded pork for up to 3 months.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition