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Easy Instant Pot Apple Cider Braised Pork

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Tender, fall-apart pork shoulder braised in apple cider and herbs, made quickly in the Instant Pot. This recipe delivers deep, slow-cooked flavor in a fraction of the time, perfect for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed and cut into 3-4 large chunks
  • 2 cups apple cider (unfiltered, refrigerated)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Cut into 3-4 large chunks (2-3 inches each). Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  2. Turn Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ on High. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes). Sear pork chunks in a single layer (work in batches if needed) for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to ‘Sauté’ on Normal. Add diced onion and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in ½ cup apple cider and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer 1 minute. Add remaining apple cider, chicken broth, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir.
  5. Return seared pork to the pot, nestling into the liquid. Add more broth or water if needed to mostly submerge the meat.
  6. Close lid and set valve to ‘Sealing’. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook (High) for 60 minutes.
  7. When cooking is done, let pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Then carefully turn valve to release any remaining steam.
  8. Open lid. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Use two forks to shred the pork in the pot.
  9. Optional: For a thicker sauce, turn Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ and simmer liquid 5-7 minutes to reduce. Or mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir in.
  10. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve pork with a generous ladle of cooking liquid.

Notes

Do not skip the natural release—it keeps the meat tender. Let the pork rest in the liquid for 5 minutes after shredding for extra juiciness. Good apple cider is key; avoid apple juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot pork, apple cider pork, braised pork, pressure cooker pork, fall dinner, easy pork recipe

Find it online: https://juliamadeit.com/easy-instant-pot-apple-cider-braised-pork/