The easiest pork shoulder recipe! Quick prep and then relax while your oven does the work. Tender pork shoulder, braised with onions and apples, makes an elegant, comforting meal. I prefer an oven braise, but I included slow cooker directions too!

A plate of braised pork shoulder garnished with fresh herbs, sliced apples, and a side of steamed broccoli sits on a white plate, next to a serving platter with more meat and apples on a wooden table.

This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

As the weather is turning colder, I turn to a braise as my favorite way to prepare both pork and beef. Serve with our creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed rainbow chard for the perfect cold-weather Sunday dinner.

Or with roasted delicata squash, my version has a matching flavor profile.

This recipe follows the standard sear and braises in the oven. But we wove in a few unique ingredients to give this pork roast a big flavor.The low temperature and slow cooking allows the collagen in the meat to break down, making tough cuts, like this pork shoulder, tender and succulent.

I added apples and onions which complement the pork shoulder and apple cider.

Not enough time for slow cooking today? Save this recipe for later and try our pork chop skillet dinner instead.

🍎Best Apples for Pork

The best variety of apples to cook with pork are Winesaps, Braeburns, Jonagold, Fuji, and Cortland apples. These varieties of apples are firm, so they hold up well to cooking. The apples range from semi-sweet to tart.

For this pork roast recipe, we chose locally grown Winesap apples. Mr. Peel typically says fruit cooked with meat is a travesty but even he agreed, this was the best pork roast with apples ever! I think it was the Winesaps that won him over.

🧾Ingredient Notes

Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast- Also called a boston butt or pork butt, you will need a 3 to 4-pound piece of meat. You can also use a pork loin roast for this recipe.
Bacon- A nice streaky bacon will add fat, instead of olive oil or butter, and a bit of smoke for flavor.
Onion- I only included one onion, yellow or white, but feel free to increase the amount
Hard Apple Cider- For a non-alcoholic version try apple cider or a 50/50 mix of chicken stock and unsweetened apple juice.
Seasonings- Apple cider vinegar, fresh sage leaves, and dijon mustard

⏲️How to Braise Pork Shoulder in the Oven

Searing

Crisp bacon pieces in a large roasting pan or a dutch oven.
Select a pork shoulder with good marbling. Preferably boneless but bone-in works as well. Thoroughly dry the pork roast with paper towels and generously season with salt and pepper.
In the same pan, sear the pork shoulder in the bacon fat. Be sure to take your time and sear the pork on all sides. The pork should be a deep golden brown.

Deglaze

Your onions should be cut into half moon pieces, about ¼ inch wide. Add them to the pan. Saute the onions until they just begin to soften
Deglaze the pan with the hard apple cider and vinegar. Add back the pork roast to the pan along with the fresh herbs.

Pork shoulder in a roasting pan with fresh sage.

Oven Braise

Cover and bake until fork tender. Turning the pork roast halfway through.
The pan should have plenty of liquid, but if it begins to dry out add ½ cup to 1 cup of water to the pan.

Sauce it Up

Remove the pork roast from the pan. Skim off excess fat and reduce the liquid by ⅓.
Add the apples and cook until just softened. Stir in the reserved bacon and Dijon mustard.
To serve, tear the pork roast into large rustic pieces. Top with apples and a small amount of the pan sauce. Serve the additional pan sauce on the side.

💭Slow Cooker Instructions

This pork roast recipe can be easily adapted to be made in a slow cooker. The initial prep is the same, but can be done a day before.

Fry up the bacon in a heavy-bottom pan until crispy and set aside.
In the same pan, brown the seasoned pork shoulder, then place in the crockpot with the onions, sage, hard apple cider, and apple cider vinegar.
Cook on low for 6 hours. Add the apples, bacon, and Dijon, cook for an additional two hours. Alternatively, you can add the apples and Dijon and turn the slow cooker up to high for one hour.
Remove the sage sprigs and serve.

🥗What to Serve with Braised Pork Shoulder

I always like a creamy side like polenta, pureed celeriac, or Boursin cheese mashed potatoes to pour the sauce over.

Pair that with a crunchy green veggie, like our quick sauteed greens or fresh green beans.

Both my garlic green beans and my curry powder green beans are a good pairing. There is something about the light curry flavor with the apples that I adore.

Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more? Get more flavorful recipes!

📖 Recipe Card

Common Recipe Questions

What is the best cut of pork for braising?

Tough cuts of meat like pork loin, shoulder (Boston butt), and ribs are the best for braising. You can also braise pork belly but that typically requires a reverse sear.

Why is my pork shoulder tough?

Three things contribute to the tenderness of the pork shoulder. They are time, heat, and moisture. If your pork should is still tough it likely needed more liquid or more time. Keeping the lid on your dutch oven and the oven door shut will help retain moisture.

Comments

5 from 10 votes (3 ratings without comment)