This slow cooker cider pulled pork feeds a crowd and warms the belly. Make it for a large party and let guests serve themselves, or make it for a family dinner and look forward to leftovers all week long!

Photography Credit: Summer Miller

Every fall I throw a harvest party. I do it to celebrate the end of summer gatherings, and the beginning of a quiet period in our home.

We live in a small house with ill-fitting rooms and hardwood floors everywhere. It’s a cacophony of sounds when filled with too many people, so most of our entertaining takes place when we can put the outdoors to good use.

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CIDER PULLED PORK: A FALL FAVORITE

The centerpiece of our harvest party is always a heaping pile of this Cider Braised Pulled Pork. I make it in the slow cooker the day before the party, let it cool in its juices, then place the slow cooker in the fridge.

The next day, I make the sauce and shred the pork. It stays warm in the slow cooker and people can eat when they’re hungry, leaving me to enjoy the day with our friends and family.

If I’m making it for a smaller dinner party instead of a crowd, I shred the pork on a cookie sheet, cover the pork with foil, and keep it warm in a low oven. Just before I’m ready to serve it, I ladle the warm sauce over the top and bring it to the table simply because I like the presentation. (I’m not typically a fan of serving food out of cooking vessels, unless it’s a more informal backyard barbecue or something to that effect.)

PULLED PORK FOR THE WEEK!

When the guests leave, I either freeze the leftovers (if there are any!) or transform them into pork chili, tacos, or pork and potato hash, to feed my family throughout the week. I hope you love it as much as we do.

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THE INGREDIENTS FOR CIDER PULLED PORK

Pork shoulder and Boston butt are the same cut of meat, so pick up either for this recipe.

If you only have sweet cider (as opposed to hard cider), that’s fine; just reduce the sugar in the rub to 1 tablespoon. If you only have hard cider, that’s okay, too. Leave the sugar as it is.

If the sauce is too vinegary for your taste, add a teaspoon of sugar at time until you reach your desired flavor. If it’s too salty, add a drop or so of vinegar.

HOW TO REHEAT CIDER PULLED PORK

This recipe is intended to feed a crowd or leave you with ample leftovers. Let the pork cool, then cover and transfer the inner pot with the pulled pork to the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days.

When ready, shred the pork and reheat it in the slow cooker or a low oven, make the sauce, and dinner is served.

The meat is also plenty flavorful without the sauce. If you’re busy, just slice it, serve it, and forget the sauce.

You can also freeze all or a portion of the pork in the broth, or the sauce, which will help keep the pork moist (I don’t recommend freezing the meat on its own). You can freeze cooked pork for up to 8 months.

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