Apple cider braised pork shoulder

Step by Step

Step 1

Massage the pork shoulder with kosher salt and pork seasoning. Be sure the whole pork shoulder is coated in spices. Wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear each side of the pork shoulder for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Remove it from the pot once all sides have been browned.

Step 3

Deglaze the pot with ½ cup of apple cider vinegar and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the apple cider, Worcestershire, onion, and garlic to the pot and whisk to combine. Add the potatoes and apples and toss to coat.

Step 4

Nestle the pork shoulder in between all of the vegetables and add the fresh herbs. Cover and bake for 3-3.5 hours, basting the pork with the apple cider every hour or so.

Step 5

When the pork reaches 200ºF or is easily shreddable with a fork, remove the pork from the oven.

Step 6

Let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Remove the herb stems from the pot and shred the pork. Serve with accompanied vegetables and any remaining apple cider sauce.

Tips and Warnings

We highly recommend using apple cider instead of apple juice.
You’ll notice that we recommend cooking your pork should roast until the internal temperature reaches 200ºF. This is because we want it to be easily shredded.
Pork is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF (USDA), but because we are cooking low and slow, the goal is to get it to reach 200ºF so that the meat can tenderize and break down to be easier to shred.