Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

SLOW-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CIDER & PARSNIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large lidded flameproof casserole and brown the meat in batches, then set aside. Fry the onions, celery and parsnips with the bay leaves for 10 mins until golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and give a good stir, then add the pork and any juices back to the dish.
• Add the cider and stock so that the meat and vegetables are covered. Season and bring to a simmer, then cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs. Serve sprinkled with parsley, with mashed potato and greens, if you like.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Generously salt all sides of the pork shoulder chunks. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces until surface is seared and crusty, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pork to a plate. Add onions to oil and reduce heat to medium and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add torn sage leaves; cook until onions soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Pour cider into pot; stir to deglaze bottom. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low.
• Transfer pork shoulder pieces to cider mixture. Cover; simmer gently on low 1 hour. Remove lid and turn pieces over. Cover; simmer on low until meat is fork tender, 1 to 2 more hours. Transfer pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Raise heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer. Whisk in creme fraiche. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of cayenne. Transfer pork back to pot; reduce heat to low. Baste pork with sauce while it heats through and becomes perfectly tender, and the sauce is as thick as you want it, about 15 more minutes.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
• Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
• Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and brown in the hot oil, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a roasting pan just large enough to hold it.
• Combine apple cider, onions, garlic, and sage in a bowl; pour over pork and cover.
• Roast in the preheated oven until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove pork from the liquid and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Skim and discard fat from the braising liquid; serve liquid alongside pork. Garnish with apple slices.

ON RACH'S HOLIDAY FAMILY DINNER MENU: HARD CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300˚F
• Bring the pork to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels; season liberally all over with salt
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil, two turns of the pan, over medium-high
• Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides
• Transfer the pork to a platter or a baking sheet
• Add the onions, herbs, bay leaf, and juniper berries, if using, to the Dutch oven
• Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes
• Add the vinegar and cook, stirring often, until it evaporates, about 1 minute
• Stir in the Worcestershire and cider
• Add the pork back to the pot
• Cover and braise until the meat is fork-tender, about 2½ hours
• Transfer the pork to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm
• Put the Dutch oven back on the stovetop and bring the juices to a simmer over medium heat
• Simmer until the juices are reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes
• Whisk in the crème fraiche, add the pork to the sauce, and reduce the heat to low
• Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes more
• Remove the bay leaf
• Serve the pork on top of the Garlicky Mashed Potatoes & Parsnips
• Top with the chives

CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Pat pork dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides, taking care not to get the oil too hot. Remove the meat to a platter.
• Add onions and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, apple cider and chicken broth. Nestle the pork shoulder in the pot (fat-side up). Cover the pot.
• Roast the pork shoulder in a 325°F oven for about 3-3 ½ hours, basting with cooking liquid every hour or so (if possible). The pork is done when the meat is falling off the bone (an internal temperature of about 205°F). Remove bay leaf and herb stems.
• Transfer the pork to a large cutting board. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks (discarding fatty pieces), and spoon plenty of that delicious cider cooking liquid and onions over top.

CIDER BRAISED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on roast to 1/4 inch. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern, 1/16 inch deep, in fat cap. Place roast on large sheet of plastic wrap. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup salt in bowl and rub mixture over entire roast and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic, place on plate, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Unwrap roast and pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper.
• Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear roast until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Turn roast fat side up. Scatter onion and garlic around roast and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups cider, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until fork slips easily in and out of meat and meat registers 190 degrees, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Strain braising liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids and let liquid settle for at least 5 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before roast is done resting, wipe out pot with paper towels. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of clear, separated fat from top of fat separator into now-empty pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season apples with salt and pepper. Space apples evenly in pot, cut side down, and cook until well browned on both cut sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.
• Wipe out pot with paper towels. Return 2 cups defatted braising liquid to now-empty pot and bring to boil over high heat. Whisk in apple butter until incorporated. Whisk cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cider together in bowl and add to pot. Return to boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce and keep warm.
• To carve roast, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean dish towel to grasp bone if necessary). Slice pork and transfer to serving platter with apples. Pour 1 cup sauce over pork and apples. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

SLOW COOKER APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear pork on all sides in the hot oil until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to the slow cooker.
• Reduce stovetop temperature to medium; cook and stir shallots and celery in the skillet until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour shallot mixture over pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add apple cider, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Cover, set slow cooker to Low, and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 6 hours. Turn pork over every 1 to 2 hours. Remove pork roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Pour remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a large saucepan; place over high heat. Discard bay leaf and other solids. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, decrease heat and cook, skimming fat from the top, until reduced to 1/4 of the original volume, about 10 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in cold butter until incorporated. Sprinkle in fresh herbs and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cut pork into 1/4-thick slices and serve with sauce poured over the top.

APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F.
• Pat dry the pork with paper towels and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
• To the heated oil add the pork and brown on all sides; about 5 minutes per side.
• Remove pork from the pot and set it aside.
• Add onions to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
• Deglaze the pot with wine.
• Stir in thyme, rosemary, and paprika.
• Add the pork back to the pot.
• Add in the apple cider, chicken broth, and bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil.
• Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.
• Transfer the pork to the oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F and cook for 2 hours.
• Remove lid from the pot and drop in the apples.
• Cover and continue to cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the pork registers at 145˚F.
• Remove from oven and return the pot to the stovetop.
• Remove pork and transfer it to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil; cook for a couple minutes, or until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
• Cut pork and serve with onions, apples, and sauce.

CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of bacon fat or lard.
• Generously season the pork shoulder with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until pork is a deep golden brown. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic around the pork shoulder and pour in broth and cider. Cover and braise in a preheated oven for 3 hours.
• Remove pork to a cutting board or platter. Strain liquids and vegetables through a mesh strainer set over a bowl. Discard vegetables, skim fat off the top of the liquids and pour back into the Dutch oven.
• Turn the heat up on the oven to 375 degrees. Add the pork back in, nestle the rainbow carrots into the liquids and place back into the oven, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes or until fork tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with thyme and parsley before serving.
• Serve pork over mashed potatoes, with carrots and the cider gravy over top.