Description
A cozy fall dinner recipe featuring tender, juicy pork shoulder slow-cooked in apple cider and warming spices. Perfect for hands-off cooking and versatile serving options.
Ingredients
- 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (1.4–1.8 kg), well-marbled
- 2 cups apple cider (480 ml), fresh and unsweetened
- 1 large onion (about 200g), sliced
- 4 cloves garlic (about 1 tablespoon), minced
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50g)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30 ml)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (240 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from pork shoulder, leaving some for flavor and moisture. Slice onion into thick rings and mince garlic.
- Rub pork all over with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cinnamon.
- Place sliced onions and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the seasoned pork on top.
- In a bowl, whisk together apple cider, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour over pork and onions.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours until pork is fall-apart tender.
- Remove pork and shred with two forks. Skim excess fat from cooking liquid if desired.
- Toss shredded pork back into slow cooker with juices to soak up flavor.
- Serve warm on buns, over mashed potatoes, or with roasted fall vegetables.
Notes
[‘Use fresh, unsweetened apple cider for authentic fall flavor.’, ‘Do not lift the slow cooker lid during cooking to maintain heat.’, ‘Toss shredded pork back into the cooking liquid to keep it juicy.’, ‘For thicker sauce, remove lid for last 30 minutes on high to reduce liquid.’, ‘Leftovers taste better after a day in the fridge.’, ‘Can be adapted to Dutch oven cooking or Instant Pot (60 minutes high pressure).’, ‘Check Worcestershire sauce label for gluten-free compliance.’, ‘Add root vegetables at start for a complete meal.’, ‘Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 28
Keywords: slow cooker, pulled pork, apple cider, fall dinner, cozy meal, pork shoulder, easy recipe, slow cooker recipe