Slow cooker

Freezer friendlyGreat for batch cookingRecommended for a 3.5 litre slow cooker

Slow cooker Pork Family dinner Apple Cider Batch cooking Freezer friendly

Slow Cooker Cider-Apple Pulled Pork with Sage Gravy

Name: Slow Cooker Cider-Apple Pulled Pork with Sage Gravy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 500 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1.2 kg boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 medium brown onions, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 3 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced; 300 ml dry cider; 250 ml chicken or pork stock; 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard; 2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons cornflour; 2 tablespoons cold water; 1 teaspoon fine salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

Tender pork shoulder cooks slowly with Bramley apples, onions, sage and dry cider, then is shredded into a light, savoury gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and greens for an easy family meal, with enough leftovers for sandwiches or baked potatoes.

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Pork, Family dinner, Apple, Cider, Batch cooking, Freezer friendly

Slow Cooker Cider-Apple Pulled Pork with Sage Gravy

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hr 20 min
Servings: 6

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5 litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Chopping board
Two forks
Small bowl

Ingredients

1.2 kg boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium brown onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced
300 ml dry cider
250 ml chicken or pork stock
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Substitutions

Dry cider → Additional chicken or pork stock (The flavour will be less fruity; add an extra teaspoon of cider vinegar at the end if needed.)
Bramley apples → Eating apples (Use a slightly smaller amount of cider vinegar if the apples are already sharp.)
Fresh sage → 1 teaspoon dried sage (Add the dried sage with the stock.)
Wholegrain mustard → Dijon mustard (Use the same quantity.)

Instructions

Pat the pork dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides, working in batches if necessary.
Put the sliced onions, garlic and sage into the slow cooker. Place the browned pork on top, then pour in the cider and stock. Stir the mustard into the liquid around the pork.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is very tender and can be pulled apart easily with two forks.
With 2 hours of cooking time remaining, arrange the apple wedges around the pork and cover again. Adding them at this stage keeps some of their shape while they soften.
Lift the cooked pork on to a board and rest for 10 minutes. Stir the cider vinegar into the cooking liquid. Mix the cornflour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry, stir it into the liquid and replace the lid for 10 minutes on high, until the gravy has thickened.
Pull the pork apart with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and gently fold through the gravy and apples. Check the seasoning and serve piping hot.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container within two hours. Use within 3 days. Alternatively, freeze cooled portions for up to 3 months. Defrost: Defrost in a covered container in the fridge overnight. Do not cook the pork from frozen in the slow cooker.

Defrost in the fridge if frozen, then reheat in a saucepan over a medium-low heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water or stock if the gravy has thickened too much. Only reheat once.

Use the shredded pork and gravy in toasted sandwiches, spoon it over baked potatoes, or serve it with leftover mash and vegetables.

Allergen information

Contains mustard. Check the stock and mustard labels if cooking for someone with allergies; use certified gluten-free products where required.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Instructions

Pat the pork dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides, working in batches if necessary.

Put the sliced onions, garlic and sage into the slow cooker. Place the browned pork on top, then pour in the cider and stock. Stir the mustard into the liquid around the pork.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is very tender and can be pulled apart easily with two forks.

With 2 hours of cooking time remaining, arrange the apple wedges around the pork and cover again. Adding them at this stage keeps some of their shape while they soften.

Lift the cooked pork on to a board and rest for 10 minutes. Stir the cider vinegar into the cooking liquid. Mix the cornflour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry, stir it into the liquid and replace the lid for 10 minutes on high, until the gravy has thickened.

Pull the pork apart with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and gently fold through the gravy and apples. Check the seasoning and serve piping hot.

Swaps and substitutions

Dry cider → Additional chicken or pork stock

The flavour will be less fruity; add an extra teaspoon of cider vinegar at the end if needed.

Bramley apples → Eating apples

Use a slightly smaller amount of cider vinegar if the apples are already sharp.

Fresh sage → 1 teaspoon dried sage

Add the dried sage with the stock.

Wholegrain mustard → Dijon mustard

Use the same quantity.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly

Yes

Batch cooking

Suitable for batch cooking

Storage

Reheating

Leftover ideas

Use the shredded pork and gravy in toasted sandwiches, spoon it over baked potatoes, or serve it with leftover mash and vegetables.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 6

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

1.2 kg boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium brown onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced

300 ml dry cider

250 ml chicken or pork stock

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons cornflour

2 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon fine salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Slow Cooker Cider-Apple Pulled Pork with Sage Gravy

Slow Cooker Cider-Apple Pulled Pork with Sage Gravy

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

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