Weeknight Magic: Cider Braised Pork with Apples & Onions

If your weeknights feel like a race between school pickups, missing water bottles, and the ever-elusive “what’s for dinner?”—you’re not alone. Around here, we’re all about meals that check all the boxes: quick, easy, flavorful, and allergy-friendly.

Enter this Cider Braised Pork with Apples & Onions. It’s cozy without being complicated, elevated without being fussy, and best of all—it’s a one-pan dinner. Translation? Less cleanup, more flavor, and zero dinner-time stress.

This meal brings all the warm, comforting fall energy (even if it's still triple digits outside). The pork is tender, juicy, and seared to golden perfection, then braised in hard cider with garlic, rosemary, and just enough sweetness from the apples and onions to make your house smell like you totally have your life together.

Let’s make it happen:

Cider Braised Pork with Apples & Onions

Gluten-Free • Grain-Free • Dairy-Free
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pork shoulder steaks or boneless pork chops (about 600 grams)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

• 1 cup (240 ml) hard apple cider

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken stock

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 2 large apples, cored and sliced

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Instructions:

1. Season + Sear:
   Pat the pork dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear pork for 2 minutes per side until golden brown.

2. Add Cider & Garlic:
   Reduce heat to medium. Add ½ cup of the cider and minced garlic. Let it simmer, flipping pork once or twice, until the cider has nearly evaporated (about 3 minutes).

3. Add Stock & Simmer:
   Pour in the chicken stock, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10–15 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Check that internal temp reaches at least 145°F.

4. Remove Pork + Sauté Apples & Onions:
   Transfer pork to a warm oven (around 200°F) to keep warm. In the same pan, add apples, onions, rosemary, and remaining ½ cup cider. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then uncover and let the sauce reduce another 5 minutes until thick and glossy.

5. Serve & Enjoy:
   Plate pork with a generous spoonful of the apple-onion mixture. Spoon over any remaining sauce from the pan.

Quick Tips & Serving Ideas:

• Make-Ahead Hack:
  Slice your apples and onions the night before and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. This makes the evening prep even faster!

• Serving Pairings:
  Serve with cauliflower mash, roasted sweet potatoes, or a simple arugula salad tossed with lemon and olive oil. This dish also pairs beautifully with a warm rice pilaf or mashed parsnips for extra coziness.

• No Hard Cider?
  You can swap for regular apple cider or even apple juice in a pinch—just reduce the amount slightly and cut back on any added sweetness.

This is one of those “impress your in-laws without breaking a sweat” kind of recipes. It’s weeknight-easy but special enough for Sunday dinner. And most importantly? It’s clean, comforting, and totally allergy-friendly.