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Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork

Thanks for sharing!

This apple cider pulled pork is a delicious twist on a family favorite. The house will smell so good the whole time it cooks too!

dinner plate with apple cider pulled pork, mashed potatoes and sliced carrots.

This pulled pork is flavored with apple cider, brown sugar and mustard. It smells great while it cooks and tastes great on sandwiches, mashed potatoes or even on waffles! It is a great fall dinner and a fun change from traditional BBQ pulled pork.

waffle with cider pulled pork and apple slaw.

There is just something about fall that screams pork to me.  I am not 100% sure why, because we eat plenty of pulled pork during the summer too.  

Maybe it is all of the braising options and homey flavors that make it seem like fall and pork just go together.

Another thing that goes with pork? Apples, of course!  It is apple week after all, so that answer shouldn’t have been much of a shocker!

bowl of apple cider pulled pork.

This pork is slow cooked in apple cider with a bit of mustard and seasoning to develop the flavors until it is so tender and delicious you won’t believe it.  Before you thicken the sauce, be sure to skim the fat off.

You want it to be sumptuous but not greasy.  I used my fat separator for that, but you can skim it with a spoon or refrigerate it and take it off that way too.

waffle with apple cider pulled pork and apple coleslaw piled on top.

I served it over savory apple cider waffles and topped it with a bit of apple slaw.  The flavors were so good together and it was a hearty and delicious dinner.  I wanted to switch it up a bit when serving the leftovers, so I put them over some slightly garlicky smashed potatoes.

It was so good again!!  My husband also ate some on buns as a sandwich.  No matter how you serve it, there are sure to be smiles all around!

apple cider pulled pork on mashed potatoes with carrots close up.

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Yield: 16 Servings

Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork

dinner plate with apple cider pulled pork, mashed potatoes and sliced carrots.

This pulled pork is flavored with apple cider, brown sugar and mustard. It smells great while it cooks and tastes great on sandwiches, mashed potatoes or even on waffles! It is a great fall dinner and a fun change from traditional BBQ pulled pork.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 lb pork shoulder
  • 2 Tablespoons dehydrated minced onion
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon grainy mustard, I used a stone ground honey mustard
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Optional: Rub you pork shoulder with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in a little oil on a hot skillet.
  2. In your slow cooker, mix together the onion, garlic, brown sugar, mustard, cider, vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the pork shoulder in the braising liquid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for about 4 hours.
  3. Remove shoulder from the cooking liquid. Then degrease the cooking liquid. I ladled it into a fat separator, but you could skim it if your prefer. Or make it the day ahead and refrigerate the liquid separate from the meat. Then remove the layer of grease before re-heating.
  4. Stir the cornstarch into a couple of Tablespoons of cold water. Add to the cooking liquid. Return the meat to the liquid, it is ok if it is falling apart.
  5. Cook on high for at least a half hour, stirring occasionally to make sure the cornstarch doesn’t stick to the bottom. You want the cooking liquid to thicken into a sauce.
  6. Serve with buns, cider waffles or over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 233mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 27g

All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to see it! Share a picture on Instagram or Pinterest and tag me @carleecooks to let me know how it went!

This apple cider pulled pork is a delicious twist on a family favorite. The house will smell so good the whole time it cooks too!
This apple cider pulled pork is a delicious twist on a family favorite. The house will smell so good the whole time it cooks too!

Thanks for sharing!

Andrea Nine

Friday 7th of September 2018

Too funny I was compiling TBB ASKS questions for Fall and I just did 2 on apple cider. Oh how I love it and this recipe! Happy weekend! xo

Carlee

Saturday 8th of September 2018

I love cider too! I am excited for apple season!

Carlee

Wednesday 5th of October 2016

We do too! Thank you!

Unknown

Monday 3rd of October 2016

Pork is our fave so we'll definitely be trying this! Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday!

Carlee

Monday 3rd of October 2016

I hope you love it! Thank you!

Jan

Saturday 1st of October 2016

I love this! I have the pork in my freezer, so guess what I"ll be trying? Thanks for sharing at Country Fair Blog Party,what a great recipe! Jan

Carlee

Sunday 2nd of October 2016

I hope you love it! We love having pulled pork, but having a different flavor profile was a welcomed change!

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies

Thursday 29th of September 2016

I can just imagine walking into the house and smelling this deliciousness waiting in the slow cooker! oh my... what a perfect meal to come home to!

Carlee

Thursday 29th of September 2016

Those are my favorite kinds of meals, the ones where the smell greets you at the door and you can't wait to take a bite! Thanks!

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