Slow Cooker Maple-Glazed Pork Shoulder with Apples

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-09 · Updated 2026-04-09

Tender pork shoulder braised in a sweet maple-apple glaze until fall-apart tender, with aromatic spices for a comforting weeknight dinner. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 255 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, pure maple syrup, apple cider vinegar 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.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork shoulder
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small, thinly sliced onion
• 2 medium, cored and sliced apples
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place the trimmed pork shoulder in the slow cooker, then arrange the sliced onion and apples around it. Sprinkle with dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
2. Step 2: Whisk together the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl, then pour over the pork and apples. Add the chicken broth.
3. Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and the apples are soft.