Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Apple and Rosemary

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-20 · Updated 2026-04-20

Pork shoulder simmered slowly in apple cider and rosemary until fork-tender, with apple pieces adding natural sweetness. This american-inspired slow cooker ready in about 495 minutes pairs trimmed of excess fat pork shoulder, olive oil, medium, chopped yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 330 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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 lb, trimmed of excess fat pork shoulder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, chopped yellow onion
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2, cored and chopped Granny Smith apples
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp, chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Season pork shoulder with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork shoulder on all sides for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Add chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Pour in 2 cups apple cider and 1 cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes, then pour over pork in the slow cooker.
3. Step 3: Add chopped Granny Smith apples, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until pork is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.