Slow-Cooked Apple-Thyme Pork Shoulder with Herb Dumplings

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-19 · Updated 2026-04-19

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A tender pork shoulder braised with tart apples and fresh thyme, served with pillowy herb dumplings for a comforting weeknight meal. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 500 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, apple cider, Granny Smith 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 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.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 480 min Serves 6 American cuisine 420 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 pounds pork shoulder
1/2 cup apple cider
2, peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dumpling dough
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker. Add diced apples, apple cider, thyme, and chicken broth, stirring to combine.
Step 2: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until pork is fork-tender. Remove pork and set aside; skim excess fat from cooking liquid.
Step 3: Stir chopped parsley into reserved cooking liquid. Slice pork and serve with the liquid and herb dumplings, which are poached in the liquid for 10 minutes until doubled in size.