Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4-5 pound bone in pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium/large yellow onions, sliced
- 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 15 fresh sage leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
For Gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups strained braising cider
- splash of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 5 quart braising pan over medium-high heat.
- Pat pork roast dry on all sides and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Add pork to the pan and sear on all sides until a golden brown crust forms. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add 2 sliced onions and 2 sliced apples to the pot along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
- Add 8 cloves smashed garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Stir in 3 cups apple cider, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and a couple pinches of salt and pepper until well combined. Nestle 15 fresh sage leaves, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 bay leaves in the pan.
- Nestle pork roast back in the pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Place in the oven and braise for 3 hours or until the pork is fork-tender and falls apart easily. Flip meat halfway through braising if possible.
- Remove from oven and let pork rest in the braising liquid (with the lid on) for 30 minutes. Remove pork, shred, and set aside.
- Strain braising liquid into a large measuring cup, discarding apples, onions, and herbs. Let it sit for a few minutes, then skim the fat off the top.
- In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups strained braising liquid. Stir constantly and gently simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens to your desired consistency. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve pork atop a pile of creamy mashed potatoes and smother them in the homemade gravy. Enjoy!
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Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Bone-in pork shoulder delivers the best texture and flavor.
- Searing the pork first builds deep flavor. Don’t skip this step.
- Letting the pork rest in the braising liquid keeps it moist and makes shredding easier.
- You’ll know the pork is done when it shreds easily with two forks. If it’s not falling apart, it’s not done! Pop it back in until it shreds easily.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the pork + gravy
- Calories: 563
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 649.4 mg
- Fat: 22.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.6 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 48.5 g
- Cholesterol: 163.7 mg
