Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Recipes

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 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.

PORK SHOULDER BRAISED IN HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Make Sachet d'Epices:Wrap the thyme, parsley, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie with twine to form a sachet.
• Brown Pork:Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat pork dry, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or other pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat for 2 minutes, then add enough oil to barely coat bottom of pot and heat until shimmering. Cook the pork until well browned on all sides, turning with tongs once each side is seared (remember not to move the meat too soon or it will not brown properly and will stick to the pot; wait until it releases easily). This will take a total of 12 to 15 minutes; reduce the heat if the bottom of the pot is getting too dark (you want browned, not burned, bits for flavoring the sauce). If, after removing the pork, you see burned bits, wipe out the pot and add more oil before proceeding. (Or deglaze pot with a little water, bringing it to a boil and scraping up the burned bits; pour off liquid and bits.)
• Cook Aromatics:Reduce heat to medium and add leek, garlic, parsnip, and celery root. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook until leek is translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Braise Pork:Return pork to pot, and pour in 1 cup cider. Bring to a boil, and deglaze pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Add remaining 3 cups cider and the stock along with the herb sachet. (The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the pork; add more stock if it doesn't.) Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover, and put in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cook until the pork is very tender (it should offer little resistance when pierced with a knife), 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning over with tongs about halfway through so the meat cooks evenly.
• Finish Braising with Garnish Vegetables:Transfer the meat to a plate and strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extractas much liquid as possible (discard solids). Return the liquid and the pork to the pot and add the garnish vegetables, nestling them into the liquid; the liquid should almost reach top of vegetables. Bring to a boil on the stove, and then return to oven and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Lift out the vegetables and arrange them on a serving platter. Transfer pork to another plate. Cover both and keep warm near the stove.
• Make a Beurre Manie:Rub the softened butter together with the flour until completely incorporated. Pour off and measure the cooking liquid remaining in the pot; you should have about 2 cups. Return it to the pot and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the beurre manie and continue whisking until the liquid comes to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 minute (to remove the raw starchy taste). Turn off the heat and stir in the cream (if using) and mustard.
• Serve:Use a fork to shred the meat into large chunks. Transfer to platter with vegetables. Serve with sauce and more mustard on the side.

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 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.

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.

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.
• Cooks' note:· Pork can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. Reheat in liquid, covered, at 325°F 1 hour.

SLOW-COOKER CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place onion in slow cooker.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook pork in oil about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until brown on all sides. Place pork over onion in slow cooker. In small bowl, mix cider and honey. Pour around pork.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Shred pork into chunks, using 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid in slow cooker. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and water; stir into cooking liquid. Increase heat setting to High. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until gravy is thickened.
• Heat mashed potatoes as directed on package. Serve pork with mashed potatoes and gravy. Sprinkle with additional pepper.

BRAISED & BARBECUED PORK SHOULDER WITH CIDER KETCHUP

Steps:

• The day before, use a very sharp knife to cut the skin away from the pork, being careful to leave the fat attached to the meat (or ask your butcher to do this). If not done already, score the skin in a criss-cross pattern, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Season the skin liberally with salt and put on a plate in the fridge, uncovered, to dry overnight.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the onions, bay, thyme, garlic and fennel seeds in a large flameproof casserole dish. Season the meat liberally, then nestle it into the tin. Pour over the cider, pop on the lid and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove from the oven and, once cooled slightly, place the pork on a tray or in a container. Pour the liquid into a jug, cover and put everything in the fridge to chill overnight.
• The next day, lift off any fat that has hardened on the surface of the braising liquid, then spoon it back into the dish with the vegetables. Add the vinegar, apples and sugar, and simmer for 1 hr. Leave to cool slightly, then remove the herbs and garlic. Blitz in a blender and taste for seasoning - you want a balance of sweet and sharp, so adjust the sugar and vinegar if you need to, then pour through a sieve to make a thick, pureéd ketchup.
• To reheat the pork and make the crackling, fire up the barbecue or heat the oven to its highest setting. If cooking outside, lay the crackling on the grates and cook, turning occasionally, until it is puffed up and golden, while the pork is on the other side of the barbecue, heating through and nicely browning. Leave to rest for 10 mins before bringing to the table and carving. If cooking in the oven, lay the crackling on a wire rack over a baking tray on the top shelf and cook until crisp, while the pork reheats and browns underneath. If necessary, turn on the grill while the pork rests to really crisp up the crackling.

HARD CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Rinse the pork and pat it dry. Using a thin, sharp boning knife, make ten to twelve deep, narrow slits in the pork and insert a sliver of garlic into each. Season the meat generously all over with salt and pepper, and then use kitchen twine to tie the shoulder into a compact, uniform shape. If it isn't already, allow it to come to room temperature.
• Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork on all sides, taking your time, turning it frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Done properly, this will take about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Transfer the pork to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and add the onion, carrot, and apple. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat until they are golden brown and soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add both ciders and the halved head of garlic, and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pan. Put a piece of parchment or aluminum foil over the meat, folding it down around it so that it makes a snug tent. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the middle of the oven. Cook until the pork is very tender, about 3 hours, turning it once or twice to keep all sides moist.
• Transfer the meat to a platter to rest before slicing. Strain the broth, discarding the apple and vegetables. Skim the fat from the pan juices and return the juices to the pan. Over medium heat, reduce to about 2 cups. Adjust the seasoning, and serve with the pork.