Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder (Dutch Oven or Crock Pot)

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Apple cider braised pork shoulder yields tender, juicy, and flavorful pulled pork. Cooked low-and-slow in a Dutch oven or in a Crock Pot, it’s the perfect supper for a chilly fall evening.

Square side shot of a bowl of apple cider braised pork shoulder.

If you’re looking for even more delicious pork shoulder recipes, be sure to try this Mississippi pulled pork, these Dutch oven carnitas, this Crock Pot beer pulled pork with maple bbq sauce, and these honey lime slow cooker pulled pork tacos, too!

How to Make Braised Pork Shoulder | 1-Minute Video

A Few Tips Before You Get Started

Braising, which comes from the French word braiser, is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the meat is first seared at a high temperature, and then it’s finished in a covered pot with liquid at a lower temperature until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. For this recipe, you’ll slow cook a pork roast in a Dutch oven (or in a Crock Pot) with a flavorful blend of onions, garlic, herbs, and apple cider.
The best cut of pork for braising is called a “pork butt,” “pork shoulder,” or “Boston butt.” This cut comes from high on the hog, above the shoulder blade. It has a lot of marbled fat, which lends itself well to juicy, slow-cooked meat.
This recipe calls for a bone-in pork shoulder since the bone adds even more flavor to your meat; however, you can certainly use a boneless pork shoulder roast instead. In general, a boneless pork butt will require slightly less time in the oven than a bone-in piece of meat, so keep an eye on it and adjust accordingly.
The braising liquid is a combination of apple cider and chicken broth. For a sweeter, more bold cider flavor, replace the chicken broth with extra apple cider. You can also add sliced apples to the pot.

Horizontal collage of process shots showing how to braise a pork shoulder roast.

Directions

I’ve shown a roasted Dutch oven pork shoulder here, but the alternate Crock Pot instructions are also included in the recipe card below. Here’s the overview:

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
Sear the pork in a large Dutch oven. This helps to brown the surface and enhance the flavor. A hot pan creates a golden, caramelized crust through a process called the Maillard reaction, and will also lock in the meat’s juices.
Sauté the onions and garlic in the pork drippings.
Pour in the cider, broth, and seasoning.
Return the pork to the pot, fat-side up. The liquid should not cover the meat in the pot. You want just enough cider and broth to surround (but not submerge) the pork. We’re braising — not boiling.
Cover and cook in the oven for about 3 ½ – 4 hours, or until it’s fall-apart tender. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of about 205°F. Keep the Dutch oven covered while the pork braises. The braised pork shoulder just gets juicier and more tender as it cooks. If you find that your braised meat is tough or dry, it’s likely that you’re using the wrong cut of meat (such as a lean tenderloin), or that you haven’t cooked it for quite long enough.
Transfer the pork to a large rimmed baking sheet or a large bowl to shred the pork with two forks. This contains the juices so it’s not as messy.

Close up side shot of apple cider braised pork shoulder in a white serving bowl.

Serving Suggestions

This apple cider braised pulled pork is a versatile and easy meal. I love to simmer a pot in the oven on a crisp Sunday afternoon after a weekend at the apple orchard! Nothing says cozy, Virginia fall comfort food more than this simple, hearty dish. It’s also great for tailgating, for entertaining, or for feeding a crowd.

Pile the pulled pork onto sandwich (or slider) buns, make braised pork shoulder tacos, or stuff it in baked potatoes. Add a veggie like Southern-style green beans, traditional coleslaw, oven roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, or Southern collard greens. Round out the meal with a skillet of pumpkin cornbread, Dutch oven mac and cheese, Southern fried apples, or a basket of Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits.

Overhead image of a bowl of apple cider pulled pork on a white wooden table.

Preparation and Storage

Make Ahead: to prepare this dish in advance, refrigerate the braised pork (before shredding) in its cooking liquid with the onions overnight. The next day, when the dish is chilled, skim the fat from the top. Reheat the pork in a 325°F oven, and shred just before using.
If you want to reheat your cooked pork in a Crock Pot, place the cooked pork (and all of the reserved juices) in the slow cooker on the “WARM” setting for 2-4 hours.
Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To keep the pork longer, you can wrap the cooked meat in foil, and then freeze in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. The leftover pulled pork is delicious served on sandwich rolls, on salads, in tacos, stuffed in baked potatoes, in a casserole, in quesadillas, on nachos, or on pizza.

Side shot of a white bowl full of apple cider braised pork shoulder roast on a white table.

More Pork Shoulder Recipes to Try

1 (6-7 lb.) bone-in pork shoulder (or “Boston butt” or “pork butt”)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups total)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons total)
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 ½ cups apple cider
1 cup chicken broth
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional, for serving: warm bbq sauce

Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat pork dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven (at least 7 quarts) over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides, taking care not to get the oil too hot, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove the meat to a platter.
Add the 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 the 325°F oven for about 3 ½ – 4 hours, basting with cooking liquid every hour or so, if possible. The pork is done when the meat reaches an internal temperature of 205°F. At this point, it should fall apart easily when pulled with two forks. Discard the 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). Spoon plenty of that delicious cider cooking liquid and onions over top, or toss the pulled pork with warm barbecue sauce.

Alternate Slow Cooker Instructions: If you’re going to be out of the house for most of the day, you can braise your pork shoulder in the slow cooker instead of in the oven. To do so, sear the pork according to the recipe instructions. Sauté the onions and garlic in the pot according to the recipe instructions, too. Deglaze the pot with the cider and broth. Transfer the onions and the liquid to the Crock Pot, stir in the remaining ingredients, and add the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for at least 8-10 hours or on HIGH for at least 4-5 hours.
If your pork shoulder is still tough at the end of the cooking time, it’s probably because it needs to cook for even longer. The collagen in the meat is what keeps it tough, so you need to allow plenty of time for those fibers to break down. Just cover the pot and return the meat to the oven until it’s fall-apart tender.
Add extra fresh herbs, spices, aromatics, and seasonings to the pot. For instance, try a couple sprigs of fresh oregano or fresh parsley, or season the meat with a bbq rub, our favorite house seasoning, coriander, cumin, or ginger. Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes will give the dish some heat, too!

Serving: 1/8 of the pork buttCalories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 54gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 1089mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 4mg

Braised Pork Shoulder Recipe Variations

Use a boneless pork shoulder roast instead of a bone-in roast. You may need to reduce the cooking time slightly for the boneless roast.
Braising requires a longer cooking time at a low temperature. This allows the tough meat fibers to break down and become tender. A typical oven temperature for braised pork shoulder is in the range of 275°F – 325°F. I suggest 325°F for this recipe, but if you have more time and you’d like to let the pork roast for even longer, you can set the oven at 275°F and cook the pork for at least 5 hours.
Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar or a dollop of Dijon mustard for a little bit of acidic tang.
Add extra fresh herbs, spices, aromatics, and seasonings to the pot. For instance, try a couple sprigs of fresh oregano or fresh parsley, or season the meat with a bbq rub, our favorite house seasoning, coriander, cumin, or ginger. Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes will give the dish some heat, too!