Braise
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onion and Apple Confit
Popular on Food52
83 Reviews
NamasteSF
October 27, 2023
Following other reviewers lead, I increased the amount of Calvados, garlic and thyme & mustard. Oddly, though this didn't have a lot of flavor. Also 4 onions is a LOT of onions, more than is needed for a good sauce. But even though apples show up in 3 ways--brandy, cider and a whole chopped apple--I didn't get a lot of apple flavor. A sprinkle of lemon juice at the end might have helped, but I didn't have a lemon to try it. I'm hoping the leftovers will be more flavorful after sitting overnight.
E E.
November 2, 2022
Cooked as directed, this will result in what I hate most in cooking, a recipe that sets people up to fail. My thoughts:
Ingredients
2 pinches salt is not enough to season a roast, use more.
2c liquid (stock and cider was not enough to cover my roast.
Timing
10 minutes to: peel and thinly slice 4 large onions; peel, core, and cube a large apple; peel, core and chop 2 garlic cloves; and strip 1 T of fresh thyme from stems, is unrealistic
Caramelizing onions: 18-20 minutes is exceedingly optimistic. Following the instructions is likely to result in a combination of charred and raw onion. ½ hour to 1 hour is a more realistic scenario. And that is with improved technique over the recipe instructions.
Since it is unrealistic to do all the prep in 10 minutes, I would delay preheating the oven. I would aim for (at a maximum) 20 minutes of preheat. So perhaps start the oven when the onions are 20 minutes from done.
4 hours would be a better estimate of recipe time. Maybe more, depending on the onions.
Technique
The onions can start on medium, but they require watching. They will probably need to be reduced to medium low as they cook down. Deglazing with a little water and/or adding some fat during the process will be needed. To get browned, not burned, onions must be cooked low and slow. More than the occasional stir will be needed.
I don’t understand cooking the apple, garlic, and thyme for 30 seconds after deglazing the pan. There’s not much benefit to the apples and thyme, they could just go in raw. Garlic could take 30 seconds of low heat, perhaps 1 to 2 minutes would be better. You also might need the pan to cool down a little from the heat used for deglazing.
Putting the pork in the pot, adding liquid, and putting the whole thing in the oven: I would bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stove top, cover very well (layer of plastic wrap, layer of foil, and then the lid), and then put it in the oven.
Dijon mustard at the end: I would add checking salt and pepper, considering adding cider vinegar and/or cream, and definitely putting some fresh parsley and maybe some fresh thyme on as a garnish.
Ingredients
2 pinches salt is not enough to season a roast, use more.
2c liquid (stock and cider was not enough to cover my roast.
Timing
10 minutes to: peel and thinly slice 4 large onions; peel, core, and cube a large apple; peel, core and chop 2 garlic cloves; and strip 1 T of fresh thyme from stems, is unrealistic
Caramelizing onions: 18-20 minutes is exceedingly optimistic. Following the instructions is likely to result in a combination of charred and raw onion. ½ hour to 1 hour is a more realistic scenario. And that is with improved technique over the recipe instructions.
Since it is unrealistic to do all the prep in 10 minutes, I would delay preheating the oven. I would aim for (at a maximum) 20 minutes of preheat. So perhaps start the oven when the onions are 20 minutes from done.
4 hours would be a better estimate of recipe time. Maybe more, depending on the onions.
Technique
The onions can start on medium, but they require watching. They will probably need to be reduced to medium low as they cook down. Deglazing with a little water and/or adding some fat during the process will be needed. To get browned, not burned, onions must be cooked low and slow. More than the occasional stir will be needed.
I don’t understand cooking the apple, garlic, and thyme for 30 seconds after deglazing the pan. There’s not much benefit to the apples and thyme, they could just go in raw. Garlic could take 30 seconds of low heat, perhaps 1 to 2 minutes would be better. You also might need the pan to cool down a little from the heat used for deglazing.
Putting the pork in the pot, adding liquid, and putting the whole thing in the oven: I would bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stove top, cover very well (layer of plastic wrap, layer of foil, and then the lid), and then put it in the oven.
Dijon mustard at the end: I would add checking salt and pepper, considering adding cider vinegar and/or cream, and definitely putting some fresh parsley and maybe some fresh thyme on as a garnish.
blackjack
November 2, 2022
I have never replied to someone’s comments about their experience in following a recipe….but I feel someone has never turned on a burner to not know the basics described as lacking in this homey,comforting, warming hearty recipe. It is so forgiving and delicious you just can’t go wrong unless you don’t know how to turn on a stove burner
cosmiccook
October 27, 2023
E.E, I agree--I'd love to find a recipe similar to this that exudes the apple flavor. I contemplating using HARD CIDER (in lieu of the Calvados & apple cider) toasted caraway seeds & at LEAST 6 cloves of garlic. We love garlic in New Orleans. Since I have a slow juicer, I'm thinking about juicing 1 onion & 1 apple, and using both juice & pulp in the mixture (lightly browning . Along w Dijon caraway seeds & paprika plead to be added to this dish--as well as the long pepper on hand. Replace some of the chix stock w pork stock too. Since I'm pulping the onion, caramelize the rest of the onions while the pork cooks and add towards end. I hope this works better, because I'm splurging on Berkshire forest fed pecan finished meat from a local vendor. I only WISH I can find celery root (sigh)! It is NOT a big U.S. item, but amazing how all over France & EU one can find it --inexpensively at that.
missymaam
October 22, 2022
I made this and followed the recipe exactly. Very good. VERY! I loved the apple/onion confit although it is a LOT of onions. I think next time I will do 3 not 4 onions. And I couldn't taste the Calvados, so next time I will double up on that. But there will be a next time!!
Jessica1994
September 6, 2022
Really yummy! It was fairly easy to make too. I added some sage and immersion blended the gravy after it reduced. It was quite sweet so I found myself adding a LOT of black pepper at the end and sprinkled in some Aleppo pepper as well. Was great with mashed potatoes and delicious in a sandwich the next day!
mama
June 6, 2022
you absolutely need a fatty piece of pork for this recipe. I made the mistake of using a sirloin pork roast and it was very dry. the sauce was good but needed a little something else.
Eileen D.
June 27, 2021
How would you alter this recipe tomato it with a bone in pork shoulder?
cosmiccook
June 27, 2021
Cook it longer--30 mins or so depending on your roast size. I prefer bone-in more flavor. I also braise at lower temps than the recipe requires (275).
TasteFood
June 27, 2021
You can certainly braise with the bone-in. In fact, the bone will add more flavor to the meat. Simply continue to braise until the meat is falling apart tender, upwards of another hour if necessary, depending on the size of the meat. This recipe is very forgiving. You can braise it at a lower temp as well, as cosmicook does for a longer period of time. The key is the consistency of the meat, so check every 30 minutes or so for doneness after 2 1/2 hours.
blackjack
March 25, 2021
Finally got around to trying this and like almost all of the recipes I try for the first time I didn’t change anything. It was fabulous..won’t change/add/ subtract anything.
Leah A.
December 18, 2020
Update to my original post. This was AMAZING. I doubled the recipe and added carrots, I used Saltopia meat head instead if s&p for browning the pork and also doubled the garlic, served over mashed potatoes, I fead 9 people and everyone LOVED it
Leah A.
December 18, 2020
Food 52 has never steered me wrong, reading negative reviews will not deter me, I will add a few organic carrots and parsnips and may increase the herb ratio, and really preseason the pork with Saltopia's jurassic pork,(look them up, AMAZING) I will side this with creamy mashed potatos
culingo
August 17, 2020
As it supplies high quality ambient Vegetables. Sliced, diced, puree or paste, Vegetables in aseptic bags are a great alternative of using the raw Vegetables.
Products produced in aseptic bags, cans or pouch:
Onion, garlic, cucumber, pumpkin, butternut squash, olive, avocado, pineapple, pear, plum, strawberry, ginger, corn, peas, tomato.
www.culingo.com
Products produced in aseptic bags, cans or pouch:
Onion, garlic, cucumber, pumpkin, butternut squash, olive, avocado, pineapple, pear, plum, strawberry, ginger, corn, peas, tomato.
www.culingo.com
kgmom
January 19, 2020
First time braising a pork butt. We really enjoyed it served over egg noodles, with a side of roasted green beans. I thought the flavor was very good, a bit sweet. The texture of the pork with the onions and apples was amazing.
Ann F.
January 12, 2020
This was delicious. My only comment is the prep time. Searing the pork and camelizing onions takes significantly longer that 10 minutes! We also used regular brandy and it was fine. This is a keeper
Cameron L.
November 8, 2019
This was "good" but it lacked depth in flavor. Just kind of average for me. Sorry.
cosmiccook
October 13, 2019
I couldn't understand the review from the chef who said this recipe was awful. I was so stoked about this recipe! Got a 3 lb. heritage pork shoulder (coppa cut). I amped up the flavors w more garlic, toasted & ground caraway, fennel, coriander mustard seed which I added to the liquid. Extra apples and onions w hard cider and homemade chicken stock. It was just meh. The pork was divine, not so much the rest. I plan on using leftover onion & apples for the caramelized onion and Butternut squash tart, which IS divine!
cosmiccook
October 8, 2019
When preheating a convection oven--should I do convect ROAST or BAKE? Or just ROAST or BAKE? There is a difference but NO ONE really addresses this.
Sauertea
October 8, 2019
I have a thermador with the convection roast setting. The instruction manual indicates that you should not cover the meat when using convection roast. As this recipe calls for covering the roast would either use the regular bake mode if you don’t have a non-convection roast setting.
Pamela T.
September 22, 2019
Quite yummy and satisfying. It exceeded my hopes based on other attempts I’ve made with pork shoulder in the past. I did use a bone-in pork shoulder that was about 3.75# and let it cook about 4 hours. It was certainly fork tender and falling off the bone. Served it with roasted potatoes for my husband and sweet potato for me along with green beans. Looking forward to the leftovers😋.
hhb
January 26, 2019
a complete waste of time and money. i am a private chef and this was a awful. i normally like Food52 suggestions, not this time
Cameron L.
November 8, 2019
I don't think it was "awful" but I really wasn't impressed. Kind of cafeteria food-ish.
knittingbaker
January 21, 2019
Perfect dish to break in my new Dutch oven (how have I lived so long without one!?). I skipped the lovely but pricey calvados for a cheaper apple brandy and added and additional apple, since I had one more lying around. The pork was good - the confit delicious. Definitely worth the slow braise.
Catherine
January 1, 2019
Beautiful dish for New Year's Day. I was very happy with the ease in execution, guests were really impressed with the dish as well. I did it one and a half times for 7 people, and used Apple Jack in place of Calvados.
SCalabretta
December 2, 2018
This is a fabulous recipe. Simple and delicious. I served it with egg noodles and garlicky spinach.
Austin B.
October 14, 2018
The pork was good. The confit was amazing, I could've eaten it with a spoon, it was that good.
Consultant W.
October 6, 2018
Delicious! I didn’t have any Calvados so I substituted spiced rum. Will definitely make again.
william L.
November 7, 2017
cider braised pork shoulder with caramelized onion and apple comfit is mmmmm! so fantastic that my taste buds are still tingling hours after
Roxie Y.
November 3, 2017
I made this last weekend and neither of us could stop raving about it. Leftovers were eagerly eaten and we yummed our way through.
Alison
November 20, 2016
I made this last weekend, and couldn't stop talking about how good it was--although the title suggests some degree of difficulty ("confit") it really was quite easy. Onions do take a little while to truly caramelize, IMO, so give yourself adequate time for that step. I accidentally wound up with a bone-in shoulder roast of about 3 pounds, but that didn't cause any problems--taste was excellent and the meat fell off the bone for slicing when it was done. I also only had three onions and no granny smiths on hand, so used three onions and two pink lady apples, with a tablespoon of cider vinegar to make up for the apple sweetness (relative to Grannies). Otherwise, as written. It was totally delicious, and I will make it again as soon as Thanksgiving is over...
Justin D.
November 14, 2016
Just made this and really enjoyed it! I actually liked it better the next day I think. I would recommend skimming the refrigerated fat off before reheating it. Worked really well.
Laura
November 6, 2016
This was excellent! Had a 4 1/2 pound roast so I cut into two and doubled rest of ingredients. Cooked perfectly in 3 hours. Will definitely make again.
dcashore
November 6, 2016
I made this today. It's excellent. Low-stress and not fussy. I echo what others have already said about the flavor combination & that it's perfect for a fall/winter dinner. MMMmmm!
Diane
October 28, 2016
I want to make this for my recipe group which in the middle of the week. I work late every night. Can I make it on Sunday, and reheat and serve it on Wednesday?
JoanMyers
October 23, 2016
Unbelievable! Enjoying this on a blustery autumn Sunday evening and the flavors are so spot on! The combo of sweet of the apple and savory of the onion/ mustard is just sublime! This is a keeper recipe! Thank you!
Nanners
October 15, 2016
WOW!!! Made this tonight for my family and they all absolutely loved it! Served it with my favourite mac & cheese recipe -- everyone devoured it. Unfortunately, there will be no leftovers !
Nancy M.
October 14, 2016
It's in the oven and I have high hopes, but one day I really want to meet the cook who can caramelize onions in 20 minutes. Maybe that person can also bring about world peace.
CarlaCooks
October 15, 2016
Haha, so true! I have started using my pressure cooker to caramelise onions, though it does break down the onions (fine for this recipe or an onion dip, not so great for French onion soup) and it doesn't take long at all. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/01/pressure-cooker-caramelized-onion-recipe.html
BocaCindi
October 16, 2016
Thanks for bringing up browning onions. Low and slow is 45 minutes for me.
Bee
October 22, 2016
THANK YOU, Nancy Mck, for calling out the ridiculous time quoted on EVERY recipe for caramelized onions!!! When I was a very, very young bride and teaching myself to cook, I took the "10 minutes to caramelize 6 onions" seriously, in a never tried Thanksgiving Day recipe. After 90 minutes, the 6 giant onions were FINALLY done! Since then, I give myself a good 2 hour time to caramelize any quantity of onions...period! LOL This recipe is very very similar to one of the featured recipes at Applebee's: they use pork chops vs. pork shoulder and bourbon instead of Calvados. So, when I made this, I also used a finely aged Boubon and radically increased the quantity of apples, using 16 of them (4 different varieties). It was JUST ENOUGH onion/apple mixture to go with every scrap of pork shoulder...and the addition of the bourbon was to die for! I served it on top of spaetzle with green beans and almonds as a side. Incredible!
riegelhaupt1
October 16, 2015
Making this for a fall birthday party. Do you think it would be better if cooked a day ahead?
lovemcm
October 16, 2015
@riegelhaupt1, you can go either way, especially if you don't have a problem with fat content. It is a confit, after all. I will say that if I can make the entree ahead, it makes entertaining less stressful. Your mileage may vary.
aviva B.
October 16, 2015
Yes I would make it ahead if possible . Make sure to separate the meat from the confit so you can take some of the fat off. The flavors do build up and you will get even more flavor out of it !
lovemcm
September 27, 2015
This was Sunday dinner, with a lovely 3-lb boneless pork "butt" which I tied myself, onions from the Farmer's Market, and an apple from our own tree. It was delicious. We served it over cauliflower faux mashed potatoes. Like others, subbed plain French brandy for the Calvados. In future, though, I will definitely make a day ahead, and store the meat separately from the confit prior to reducing, so I can take off some of the amazing amounts of fat the pork renders. We started with 3 lbs of raw meat, dried, and ended up with 1 lb 11 oz of cooked roast!
Robert P.
February 6, 2015
I am glad you mentioned having this dish with the Celery Root and Parsnip Puree. I am going to fix the pork this weekend (barring bad weather) but, I tried the Puree last night and it was great! Thanks.
Tina M.
February 4, 2015
This is a great recipe! I didn't have Calvados so used Madeira to deglaze the pan. I'll be repeating this one for sure. I served it with mashed turnips and celery root and roast green beans.
Cristina S.
November 13, 2014
I made this tonight for a little dinner party, and it was such a hit. The pork was fork tender, and the sauce so flavorful. Everyone commented on how much they loved it. I served the pork alongside thyme-and-garlic roasted potatoes. I'll definitely make this again, and next time, I'll make enough for next-day sandwich leftovers!
julie
July 14, 2014
I tried this and it was sensational. I will have to increase the quantity and am undecided as to how to prepare the meat. Am I best to have four pieces each weighing 2 1/2 lb to ensure even cooking or could I go with two 5lb pieces. I will cook all together in a covered roasting pan - will I need to increase the time for cooking? I'm getting a bit worried about oven space and getting everything ready on time for 20 guests. Thanks for any help.
TasteFood
July 19, 2014
If your roasting pan is large enough, then I would use 3-4 (2.5-3 pound) pieces of pork. The roasting time will be about the same - just check before removing that the meat is fork tender.
julie
July 6, 2014
I'm making this for a special birthday and wondered if you think twice baked potatoes would be ok to accompany it. I'm cooking for 20 and will struggle keeping everything hot so they looked like a good choice. Any thoughts please?
CarlaCooks
July 6, 2014
I agree, any kind of potatoes is good with this. I have served it with both boiled potatoes and mashed potatoes. A little trick for mashed potatoes for a large crowd: you can make the mashed potatoes earlier in the day and keep them warm and ready in your crockpot (on the 'keep warm' setting). Just stir in some butter and milk before serving.
tjrf915
March 22, 2014
this was DELICIOUS. Made it last night for two friends and it was a huge success. I served it with creamy stovetop polenta and roasted asparagus. The meat is easy because you can just leave it to do it's magic in the oven. Highly recommended.
cosmicbeekeeper
February 13, 2014
I love this recipe. I live in the land of wonderful local hard ciders, so I used some of that instead of the brandy and regular cider. It was delicious. I am looking forward to leftovers today. Thank you!
Sabine G.
September 17, 2013
I made this last night and it came out outstanding! I served it atop my vanilla bean mashed potatoes. I, too, added cabbage right after the onions were done sautéing. I loved that addition. I'll definitely be making this again in the future. Thank you so much for sharing!
CarlaCooks
September 8, 2013
I made this for a dinner party last night and it received rave reviews! The flavors are so well balanced: sweet, savory, and rich. Because I was feeding 7 people, I used a cut closer to 4 pounds. I doubled the onions, apples, and garlic, though only used 1.5 x the liquid (I was afraid of the liquid overflowing from my dutch oven). I didn't have any Calvados, so I used cognac. I had it in the oven for about 5 hours and it came out perfect! For serving, I partially shredded the meat, put it on a platter, and spooned the confit/sauce over it. Thanks for a lovely dish, TasteFood!
TasteFood
September 8, 2013
I'm so happy you enjoyed this. You've reminded me to make this recipe again - soon!
fatgirleating
December 28, 2012
good gods! this was totally amazing. i had regular brandy in the house from another dish and used it in place of the calvados and it was delicious. can't wait to make it again
aviva B.
September 18, 2012
I had a 6 lbs pork shoulder . Cooking time was 5 hours at 325 F .
I added a whole cabbage right after sautéing the onions to make it even more
of a fall dinner .
it melts in your mouth !
I added a whole cabbage right after sautéing the onions to make it even more
of a fall dinner .
it melts in your mouth !
Kimbees54
January 28, 2012
Made this tonight. What a terrificly easy way to cook down some pork shoulder.
Brenzo
November 13, 2011
Made this for supper tonight - turned out amazingly!
I was so pleasantly surprised at just how tender the pork shoulder became. And the confit was the bomb.
All in all, a hit. My husband was so pleased.
I should have bought a bigger bottle of brandy.
I was so pleasantly surprised at just how tender the pork shoulder became. And the confit was the bomb.
All in all, a hit. My husband was so pleased.
I should have bought a bigger bottle of brandy.
Tbird
November 4, 2011
Okay, I have 4 friends coming over for dinner tomorrow night and they've asked me to cook. It's going to be a beautiful Fall weekend, and unfortunately I don't have time to Brine anything - but luckily I found this recipe and I'm going for it. Will serve a side of SallyCan's Cauliflower and Parsnip Puree with Calvados Shallots.
Question: Think it's overkill with the Calvados in both recipes?
Question: Think it's overkill with the Calvados in both recipes?
AntoniaJames
February 11, 2010
I made this over the weekend. It's divine! My onions must have been unusually juicy because my "confit" was like soup .. . . I should have removed the vegetables before reducing the sauce, as turning the heat up on the onions and apples just released more juice. It was, however, delicious. And so, so easy. Love it!! ;o)
AntoniaJames
February 3, 2010
I'm making this for Mr. T. for his birthday this weekend . . . with the divine turnip and potato concoction posted by Maria Teresa Jorge this morning . . . and some roasted Brussels sprouts using Tad's method. I simply cannot wait to try this recipe. And yes, with either Mr. T's Pecan Pie (my recipe, posted right after Christmas) or Feeding the Saints' Chocolate Walnut Fig Cake with Grappa and Cardamom Cream (with pecans substituted) submitted for the last contest, it will, indeed be a Food52-only menu for the event!
MrsWheelbarrow
November 30, 2009
I made this yesterday in the slow cooker, after first searing the meat and caramelizing the onions and apples. It cooked on Low for four hours, then I held it overnight, skimmed the fat, and reheated for dinner this evening. It's a wonderful recipe - heady smells in the kitchen all day And it holds up beautifully to reheating, with the flavors deepening overnight.
AntoniaJames
December 5, 2009
What a great idea, to use the slow cooker. This one has been calling out to me. I'm making it the first night that both of my boys are home from school!! Thanks, Mrs W, for the info on make-ahead success. Some things do well when made in advance; others don't. It's so helpful to have the benefit of your experience.
CarlaCooks
September 6, 2013
Cathy, I would also like to make this in the slow cooker. I'm not planning on holding it overnight, so do you think I should increase the cooking time by a hour or so?
luvcookbooks
November 28, 2009
made this last weekend, roasted the pork shoulder on its own with some cider in the pan at 450 for 45 minutes to crisp the skin, then added everything else and turned it down to 325.
delicious
delicious
Mardi M.
November 26, 2009
Yum - this is very similar to the recipe I was going to submit too but just did not get my act together! Am glad to see a version of it as a finalist!
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