Cider-Braised Pork Roast and an Incredible Gravy

This Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder Roast (aka “Boston Butt”) is rubbed with brown sugar and salt. The next day, it’s seared to a golden crust, then slowly braised in apple cider with aromatics that includes thyme, onion, garlic and cinnamon. The pork is “falling off the fork” tender. The big “Ta-Da” silky and flavorful apple gravy. Served with a side of apple wedges seared in flavorful pork fat unite the elements of this hearty roast.

Living in California, I can’t celebrate the beautiful fall colors as much as other states. However, I can celebrate the arrival of fall flavors– pumpkin, sweet potatoes, cinnamon and apples. Pork and apples…yes!

I do love a succulent pork roast, and this recipe delivered– and then some! The apple infused gravy… oh my! This recipe is a perfect way to kick off fall!

I bought a pork shoulder roast, bone-in with a fat cap. I sliced the fat in with a shallow cross-hatch, and mixed a blend of brown sugar and salt. NOTE: You really need to do this 24 hours before, as the salt draws out the moisture. The sugar will give the roast a lovely caramelization. More on that later….

Give the pork a thorough coating of the sugar-salt rub, tuck it into plastic and set into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, I set up my heavy duty Dutch Oven so I could give the roast a good sear. Unwrap the roast, and dry it with paper towels. The secret to searing meat is to make sure the meat is dry– and that you bring vegetable (or avocado) oil to a super hot temperature. It takes about 3 minutes, per side, to get a beautiful sear.

So, now, it’s time to add layers of more flavor. Onion and garlic should do the trick!

Here comes the star of the show– apple cider. We’re not finished yet!

Fresh thyme springs, fresh bay leaves (from our garden), one cinnamon stick and now it’s time to put a lid on it– and set it in the oven for 2 1/2- 3 hours on a low heat of 275 degrees. It’s time to tidy up the kitchen and relax for a while.

Believe me, that the roast smells heavenly and look at all of those juices! Remove the pork, cover with foil and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. That gives plenty of time to make the gravy and cook the apples.

There is a lot of fat in the braising liquid, so you want to strain the liquid into a fat separator. I’ve owned several fat separators, over the years, but this one is a that has a bottom release and I love it!

The aromatics have done their job well, so they get tossed out. I didn’t photograph how I made the gravy, but it’s in the recipe card (below).

Cut two apples into eight wedges. To the pot, add about 2 Tablespoons of reserved fat. Season the apples with salt and pepper and cook until caramelized on each side– about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.

For the gravy, add 2 cups of the defatted braising liquid and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the apple butter. To the reserved apple cider, whisk in corn starch and then add to the liquid until thickened. Off heat, add apple cider vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

TASTING NOTES: There is a reason I’m not showing a photo of how juicy the pork roast turned out, when sliced. The roast is an unflattering grey color– but don’t let that deter you! The pork is super duper tender and moist, for sure. It’s the gravy that takes front and center. It’s a beautiful color, and you can taste the apple with a faint hint of cinnamon. The apples are a perfect pairing to pork. As a side dish, I made mashed sweet potatoes (recipe coming next). Does this reheat well? Yes, indeed! I’ve frozen the rest of the pork and the gravy, since we’re cooking for just the two of us nowadays. However, this is perfect for a dinner party.