Braised Pork Shoulder, Apple and Balsamic

Braised pork shoulder, apple and balsamic… easy, wholesome, slow-cooked deliciousness for dinner.

This cosy Autumn dinner recipe is perfect for a rainy Sunday when you want something bursting with seasonal flavours – juicy, tender pork shoulder with sweet apples, tangy balsamic and fresh herbs. You can serve this up to feed a crowd or make ahead as meal prep.

How to make this braised pork shoulder, apple and balsamic recipe:

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1kg boneless pork shoulder
• 1tbsp cooking oil (any high smoke point oil you have on hand e.g. sunflower, rapeseed etc.)
• 1 red onion – roughly diced
• 4 shallots – finely sliced
• 6 cloves of garlic – roughly sliced
• 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 250ml apple juice
• 350ml chicken stock
• Bundle fresh sage & thyme
• Salt & pepper
• 2 whole apples – we use ‘Pink Lady’ which is a firm but sweet variety

Recipe directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160C (we’ll be cooking this low and slow)
• Get your casserole dish on the burner and set to medium / high, add the oil (we use rapeseed). Season the pork shoulder well with salt and pepper and then brown on all sides. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Turn the pan down and then add red onion, shallots and garlic, sauté for roughly 5 minutes until fragrant and softened. Deglaze with a splash of your chicken stock.
• Return the pork shoulder to the pan, followed by the apple juice, balsamic, chicken stock and fresh herbs. Bring the liquids to a simmer before covering with the lid and transferring the dish to the oven.
• Allow to pork shoulder to cook for 4-5 hours in the oven, turning over about half way through.
• When you have about 30 minutes left on the pork, peel, core and slice the apples into thick wedges (6-8 wedges per apple). Then add the apple wedges to the pork and return to the oven.
• The pork should be tender and juicy to serve and easily shred between forks.

Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes for the ultimate cosy Autumn dinner!

If you like this cosy Autumn pork recipe, you might also enjoy:

Chicken, Bacon and Leek Casserole – another ideal Sunday afternoon oven dinner

Pulled Chicken and Black Bean Chilli – cosy meal prep heaven!