Apple-Sauerkraut Braised Pork Shoulder

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A savory-sweet Whole30-friendly dish where tender pork shoulder melds with tart sauerkraut and sweet apples in a slow cooker for effortless weeknight dining. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe (whole30, paleo), ready in about 495 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, sauerkraut, Honeycrisp apples for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork shoulder
• 1 cup sauerkraut
• 2 Honeycrisp apples
• 3 carrots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The slow cooker we’d leave this in all day → Best Slow Cookers in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Trim excess fat from pork shoulder and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork shoulder for 3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown, then transfer to slow cooker.
3. Step 3: Dice 2 peeled Honeycrisp apples into 1-inch cubes and toss with 1 cup sauerkraut. Arrange around the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
4. Step 4: Peel and slice 3 carrots into 1/2-inch thick coins, then scatter over apples. Crush 4 garlic cloves and sprinkle over the top.
5. Step 5: Set slow cooker to LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours until pork is fork-tender and apples are softened.