Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

2 yellow onions (cut into thin slices so that you can caramelize them)

2 tbsp salted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

4 lbs boneless pork shoulder

7 tsp salt (1 tsp of salt for the onions and 6 on the pork)

3/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp garlic powder

1 head fresh garlic (to simmer in the pot)

2 cups fresh apple cider

1 cup broth

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 bundles fresh rosemary

1 large honeycrisp apple (or two small apples. Cut into small slices)

Directions

Heat a large dutch oven on medium low heat and caramelize the onions by sautéing them with 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir frequently. This step takes at least 40 minutes which is why I caramelize my onions in bulk (recipe in the notes field). Remove the onions and set aside once they are nicely golden brown.

Preheat oven to 325F

Cut your pork shoulder into 4 smaller pieces and add them to the pot with the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Shake the 6 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder all over each side of the pork pieces. Sear all of the sides of the pork on medium heat until they get a nice brown crust on them. This should take about 15 minutes.

Once all sides are seared, add in your 2 cups of apple cider, 1 cup of broth, 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, the caramelized onions, rosemary twigs, and a head of garlic with the top part cut off so that all the garlic cloves are slightly exposed. Make sure the garlic and rosemary are submerged in the liquid.

Cover the dutch oven and cook for 2 and a half hours. Remove from the oven, flip over each piece of pork, add your apple slices. Then cover and return to the oven for an additional 45 minutes.

Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.