This Cider Braised Pork Roast recipe features melt-in-your-mouth pork that’s seared and then simmered to perfection in a sweet and savory broth. Serve this fall-inspired dish alongside mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Table of Contents
This delicious pork roast is the perfect meal to celebrate fall flavors. Slow simmered in apple cider alongside sweet onions, green apples, and a handful of aromatics, this roast turns out fork tender and pairs perfectly with everyone’s favorite comfort food; mashed potatoes or my favorite lower carb option, cauliflower mashed potatoes.
If mashed potatoes aren’t your thing serve the roast with rice, noodles, polenta, or even a loaf of crusty bread would work to soak up all the amazing flavors.
Cooking with apple cider
If you’ve never cooked with apple cider, fall is the perfect time to pick some up. Not to be confused with apple cider vinegar, apple cider is an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic apple drink made from fresh apples.
Incorporating apple cider into your cooking adds a blend of tartness and sweetness. When it is simmered, as in this pork roast recipe, the cider reduces to a rich, tangy sauce that beautifully coats the pork and compliments its savory flavors.
If you don’t have apple cider on hand, you can substitute with apple juice but make sure it is unsweetened apple juice or your pork roast will turn out too sweet.
Ingredients
- Pork butt roast: Choose a roast that’s firm and has some marbling. I used boneless but bone-in also works.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar helps the meat caramelize and develop a crusty exterior in addition to adding sweetness.
- Salt and pepper: Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Sweet onion: A large sweet onion, sliced, adds loads of flavor.
- Apples: I used green apples, sliced, as you want to use apples that are tart.
- Seasonings: I used a combination of bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, and fresh thyme.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or if you want, gluten-free flour is also good.
- Apple cider: Yes, this is apple cider, not apple cider vinegar.
- Broth: I used chicken broth but vegetable broth also works for simmering the pork.
- Olive oil: I like to use extra virgin olive oil but any type will work.
Instructions
1: Combine the brown sugar with the salt and pepper in a small bowl and use the mixture to season the pork butt well on all sides.
Important note: If time permits, let the pork sit at room temperature with the seasoning for 30 minutes.
2: Using a cast iron Dutch oven, over medium-low heat, brown the pork roast. You want the pork to be golden brown on all sides. Once brown, remove from the pot.
Important note: For the best flavor and texture, do not skip this step! You may end up with a layer of burnt sugar at the bottom of the pan at this point. It should be removed before you continue with the recipe. You can wash it out or use a spatula to scrape it off.
3: Add the sliced onion and apple to the pork greased cast iron pot and sauté until softened.
4: Stir in the flour to thicken the broth and create a delicious apple sauce-like gravy. You can pour this over the pork roast when you serve it.
5: Using a whisk to stir, pour in the apple cider, then add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, fennel, and fresh thyme.
6: Pour in the chicken broth and then add the pork roast back to the pot.
7: Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook until the pork roast is fork-tender.
FAQS
The best and safest way to confirm the pork is cooked is by using a meat thermometer. The pork should have a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you can’t get your hands on pork butt roast you can use a pork shoulder or use a beef chuck roast. Note the cooking time may be different if you use a different cut of meat.
Yes, if you want to add a few veggies you can. Carrots or potatoes would go well.
You can use hard cider though it has a more robust flavor. Note hard cider contains alcohol which is usually burnt off during the cooking process but if you want to avoid cooking with alcohol hard cider is not a good option.
Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: Leftover braised pork roast will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container.
Freeze: Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers over the stove, stirring occasionally, until the pork is heated through.
Make ahead: Because the pork simmers for quite a while in the oven, it’s great to get this recipe going during your meal prep. This way it’s ready to eat during the week.
Looking for more pork recipes for next time?
Cider Braised Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 4 lbs pork butt roast
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp salt and pepper
- 1 large sweet onion sliced
- 2 green apples (tart apples), sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the brown sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season pork well on all sides with this mixture. If possible allow the pork to sit at room temperature with this dry mix for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a cast iron dutch oven. On medium-low heat brown the pork roast on all sides until golden brown. Don't skip this step (see notes for details). Remove pork roast from pan.
- To the pork greased cast iron pot add in sweet onion sliced and apples. Sauté until softened (about 5 minutes)
- Stir in the flour, this will slightly thicken the broth and create a delicious apple sauce like gravy that you can pour over the pork roast when serving.
- Whisk in apple cider, then add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, fennel and fresh thyme.
- Top it with chicken or vegetable broth and add pork back into the pot.
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook pork roast at 350 F degrees in the oven covered for about 2 1/2 hours or until fork tender.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oven temp?