Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

cider-braised pork shoulder

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Kim Biegacki
Youngstown, OH

Another recipe that I just had to share with you all. I made this for our New Year's Day 2016 dinner. It was my first time to braise a cut of meat and it turned out so lovely. We had sauerkraut, haluski, hoppin' john & mashed potatoes which all paired well with this pork. We ended up making a gravy with the sauce by adding a little cornstarch. It's certainly a beautiful way to make & serve pork shoulder. I'm looking forward to making it again for my parents. This recipe is originally from Dillard's Christmas Cookbook 2015 with just a few changes.

(1 rating)
yield 6 - 8 servings
prep time 55 Min
cook time 3 Hr 30 Min
method Roast

Ingredients For cider-braised pork shoulder

  • DRY RUB FOR PORK SHOULDER
  • 3 Tbsp
    kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp
    dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp
    dry mustard
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp
    paprika
  • 2 tsp
    black pepper
  • SEARING & BAKING
  • 6-7 lb
    butterflied boneless pork shoulder roast (boston butt)
  • kitchen string
  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 3 c
    chicken broth, low salt
  • 1 c
    apple cider
  • 1 Tbsp
    honey
  • 2 Tbsp
    mustard, dijon
  • 6 md
    bay leaves, dried
  • 1 lg
    apples, granny smith
  • 1 md
    yellow onions, chopped
  • 8-10 clove
    garlic, cut in half
  • parchment paper
  • APPLE CIDER SAUCE
  • 1 Tbsp
    butter
  • 1 tsp
    apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 c
    cornstarch (if you want gravy)
  • GARNISH FOR SERVING PLATTER
  • 1 lg
    apples, granny smith
  • fresh celery leaves
  • bay leaves, dried

How To Make cider-braised pork shoulder

  • 1
    Dry Rub: Mix for 5 ingredients in a bowl; rub over the pork on both sides.
  • 2
    Roll the butterflied pork up, and tie with kitchen string at 1 inch intervals. Chill pork, uncovered for 8 to 12 hours.
  • 3
    Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove roast from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1/2 hour. Then sear pork roast on all sides in a dutch oven or large pan in olive oil. Remove roast and wipe clean the pan. Add your broth, apple cider and honey; cook till it comes to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and whisk in the mustard; simmer & stir for 5 minutes or so.
  • 4
    Add the pork roast back to the dutch oven or a large baking dish, pour the liquid over the roast, add your apples, bay leaves, onion and garlic around the sides of the roast.
  • 5
    Cover with a piece of parchment paper. Cover with lid or like I did seal with some tin foil over the top of roast. Bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the meat is very tender. Remove from oven and let pork remain in baking dish or dutch oven for 1/2 hour.
  • 6
    Carefully transfer pork to a serving platter. Cover with tin foil while you make the sauce. Sauce:Skim fat from cooking liquid & then pour cooking liquid through a wire mesh strainer into a large saucepan. Discard the apples & onions. Bring the liquid a simmer over medium heat. Slice up the other apple and add to the sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally for about 5 - 7 minutes until it reduces. Remove from heat; add butter and vinegar. Stir until butter melt & then pour over the top of pork. Add your celery & bay leaves around the sides of platter.
  • 7
    Serve immediately.
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