Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Onions

Pork shoulder braises low in apple cider with sweet onions, molasses, and clove until glossy and fork-tender. It echoes Copper Over the Orchard Fire, when a 1790s Pennsylvania German press fell quiet and the harvest kettle kept talking.

Serves 6

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Ingredients

• 4 lb bone-in pork shoulder
• 6 cups apple cider
• 4 large yellow onions
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 325°F and season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper.
2. 2Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the pork on all sides until well browned, about 15 minutes total.
3. 3Remove the pork, add the thick-sliced onions to the pot, and cook for 8 minutes until they begin to soften and caramelize.
4. 4Return the pork to the pot, add the apple cider, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves.
5. 5Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven.
6. 6Braise for 3 hours, turning the meat once halfway through, until the pork is fork-tender and the onions have melted into the sauce.
7. 7Rest 10 minutes before slicing or shredding the pork and serving with the onion-cider gravy.