Whole30 Apple Cider Pulled Pork
This Whole30 Apple Cider Pulled Pork is everything you want it to be - tender, juicy, sweet + tangy. It cooks low and slow, so it's very hands off, but the flavour is absolutely incredible.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado, olive or coconut oil
- 3-4 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt
- 2 white onions, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 red apples, like honeycrisp or pink lady
- 1 1/2 cups apple juice**
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried ginger
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch if not Whole30 or Paleo
- 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Start by trimming the large layer of fat off of the outside of the pork. Chop the pork into 6-8 equal cubes and set aside.
- Turn the instant pot onto its saute or fry function. Add the oil, sliced onions and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes before adding in the garlic and apple.
- Once the garlic smells fragrant, usually another 2 minutes, turn off the instant pot.
- Add the apple juice and apple cider vinegar to the instant pot.
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, ginger and nutmeg over the pieces of pork and add them to the mix in the instant pot.
- Close the lid of the instant pot, set to sealing + cook on high/manual pressure for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the amount of pork used.
- Once the pork is done, release the pressure from the instant pot. Remove the meat and shred with a fork.
- ***This step is optional, but if you'd like your sauce to be very smooth, remove the contents of the instant pot and blend. If you are okay with a chunky sauce, skip this step!
- Turn the instant pot back onto the saute/fry setting. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot and cold water. Add the slurry to the sauce, mixing as you add. Once the sauce is your desired thickness, turn off the heat and add the pork back in!
- Serve and enjoy!
Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Instruction
- Start by trimming the large layer of fat off of the outside of the pork. Chop the pork into 6-8 equal cubes and set aside.
- Add the oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, sliced onions and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes before adding in the garlic and apple. Cook for another 2 minutes or so.
- Into the slow cooker, add the apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and cooked onion, garlic and apple.
- Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and ginger to the pork and layer it on top of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4.
- Once the pork is done, remove the meat and shred with a fork.
- ***This step is optional, but if you'd like your sauce to be very smooth, remove the contents of the slow cooker and blend. If you are okay with a chunky sauce, skip this step!
- Add the (chunky or smooth) sauce to a saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot and cold water. Add the slurry to the sauce, mixing as you add. Once the sauce is your desired thickness, turn off the heat and add the pork back in!
- Keep warm in the slow cooker until time to eat!
Notes
*** Feel free to use actual apple cider as opposed to apple juice, if you prefer. However, they always have added sugar, so will not qualify for a Whole30/Paleo recipe. Do whatever makes the most sense for you!