A comforting autumn and winter dish where tender pork pieces are slowly cooked in a rich cider sauce with onions, carrots, and herbs. The cider adds a lovely depth of flavour and subtle sweetness that pairs beautifully with the savoury pork.
What You Need To Make Pork and Cider Casserole
For exact quantities, check the recipe card at the bottom of the page. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need and why.
Pork Shoulder
This cut becomes lovely and tender when slow-cooked. Cut it into bite-sized chunks and trim off any excess fat if you prefer a leaner dish. You can buy the pork already chopped in the supermarket, or buy a whole joint and cut it up yourself.
Just make sure you have a shark knife to cut it up. Using a pork shoulder joint vs already chopped pork is often cheaper and perfect if you want to cook extra. The pork shoulder ended up weighing 1.8kg meaning I had enough portions for around 8 servings.
Onion and Garlic
The onion adds a sweet base to the casserole as it softens and caramelises slightly during cooking. For the garlic use a couple of cloves, crushed or finely chopped.
Carrots
For sweetness, colour, and a bit of texture. Slice them into rounds or chunks. If you have any other vegetables such as parsnip, butternut squash or leek for example, you can add them too.
Apples
A classic partner for pork. Use a firm apple like Braeburn or Cox that holds its shape. It adds a subtle sweetness and slight tang.
Plain Flour
Tossing the pork in a little flour before browning helps thicken the sauce as it cooks.
Cider
Choose a good-quality dry or medium cider, not too sweet. It creates the base of the sauce and infuses the pork with lovely flavour.
Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Mustard and Herbs
A spoonful of Dijon or wholegrain mustard complements the cider, and fresh thyme or a dried herb mix ties it all together.
Olive Oil or Butter
For browning the pork and softening the vegetables.
Salt and Pepper
Season to taste at the end.
Making It
Start by heating a little oil or butter in a large pan or sauté pot over a medium-high heat.
Toss the pork pieces in a dusting of flour and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Brown them in batches until golden on all sides, this step adds flavour, so don’t rush it. Remove the pork and set aside.
In the same pan, add a touch more oil if needed and sauté the onion and carrots until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour in the cider, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift all those lovely browned bits. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then stir in the mustard and return the pork to the pan.
Add the apples, thyme, and enough stock to just cover the ingredients. Bring everything to a simmer, then cover and cook gently for about 1½ to 2 hours, until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
If you’d like it creamier, stir in a couple of tablespoons of double cream right before serving.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a little extra mustard.
Making Pork and Cider Casserole in a Slow Cooker
You can easily make this pork and cider casserole in a slow cooker for an even simpler, hands-off meal.
Brown the pork first in a pan if you can, it adds lots of flavour, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, mustard, herbs, cider and stock.
Use about 250ml cider and 200ml stock (roughly two-thirds of the hob amount) to start, you can always add a little more later if needed.
Give everything a good stir, season with salt and pepper, and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the pork is tender.
If you prefer firmer apple pieces, add them about one hour before the end of cooking time rather than at the start.
To thicken the sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with a little cold water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Just before serving, stir through a splash of double or sour cream (optional) and taste to check the seasoning.
Serve with creamy mash or buttered new potatoes for a comforting, make-ahead dinner.
Serving Suggestions
This casserole is perfect with creamy mashed potatoes, buttered new potatoes, or even rice. Add a side of greens like green beans, cabbage, or peas to round it out.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, just make sure it’s fully cooled before portioning into containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Casserole Recipes
If you liked this recipe, check out the following for inspiration;
- Sausage Casserole
- Cottage Pie
- Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Lamb Stew
Pork, Apple and Cider Casserole
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1.8 kg pork shoulder* trimmed and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 400 g carrots sliced
- 2 apples Braeburn or Cox, cored and chopped
- 500 ml dry or medium cider
- 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
- 2 tsp dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 tbsp double cream for a richer sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil or butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Toss the pork in flour, season with salt and pepper, and brown it in batches until golden. Set aside.
- In the same pan, cook the onion and carrots until softened, then stir in the garlic.
- Pour in the cider, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the mustard, then return the pork to the pan along with the apples, thyme, and stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and the sauce thickened.
- Stir in the cream if using, and season to taste before serving.
Notes
Brown the pork first if possible, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Use 400ml cider and 350–400ml stock (less liquid than the hob version). Cook on LOW for 7–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours. Add the apples in the last hour if you want them firmer, and thicken the sauce with a cornflour slurry near the end. Stir in cream before serving if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.