Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork with Apple and Fennel
Lalkila Kitchen · Pork · Meat · Main dishes · Contemporary cooking · Western influenced
Pork shoulder is cooked slowly with apple juice, garlic and a sweet-tart sauce, then shredded for rolls. Fennel and apple add a crisp accompaniment. This measured-juice version avoids the vague mug measures found in some pulled-pork recipes and suits a planned-ahead meal rather than a hurried supper.
Ingredients
- 2kg pork shoulder, skin removed
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 160ml cloudy apple juice
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 50g onion marmalade
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Bread rolls and English mustard to serve
Method
- Put onion in the slow cooker. Rub pork with paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper; dust with flour.
- Brown on all sides in the oil, then place over the onion.
- Combine garlic, juice, treacle, honey, vinegar and marmalade; pour over. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, until easily pulled apart.
- Lift out, discard excess fat and shred with two forks. Moisten with cooking liquid.
- Toss fennel and apple with lemon juice. Serve with pork, rolls and mustard.
Cooking notes
Use fully thawed pork and a slow cooker large enough to stay within its manufacturer's fill guidance. Keep the lid on during cooking. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Apple juice is used here, while cider vinegar is a separate ingredient; alcoholic cider is not part of this version.
Pantry shopping at Lalkila.com
For cooking and serving, explore Spices and Cookware. Read the actual product details and obtain fresh ingredients locally as needed.
More recipes
- Chicken Fricassée with Cider, Bacon and Asparagus
- Beef Goulash-Style Soup with Sweet Potato and Caraway
- Pork and Apple Burgers with Rocket
Source and adaptation
Adapted from Miriam Nice, Good Food, Slow cooker pulled pork. Original recipe.
Retains measured apple juice and sauce amounts. Makes salt and pepper adjustable instead of the source method's tablespoon of salt; optional mayonnaise omitted. Readiness requires easily shreddable meat, not time alone.
This is an editorial adaptation, not kitchen-tested by Lalkila. FoodSafety.gov cooking temperatures and safe food handling provide the safety references. The featured image is a generated illustration of this recipe.