Vermont Cider Co. has been cooking with cider for decades, testing and trialing fermented batches with different flavor combinations in the kitchen. In this simple recipe for pulled pork, the brand’s Gumption cider proves itself a worthy braising liquid and ally in pairing with the pork. Top with the cider-soaked caramelized onions, shredded cheddar cheese, or a favorite coleslaw.
Decades after the cidery launched, Vermont Cider Co.’s ciders are seen on an international scale, including the Gumption, an honorary bottling for P. T. Barnum, the cider-loving showman behind Barnum & Bailey circus. Full of spunk and ingenuity like Barnum himself, the Gumption cider comprises dessert and cider apples and comes together in bittersweet and juicy apple flavors, an ideal ying and yang balance for this braise.
Gumption Cider Pulled Pork
Makes 6–8 servings
4 tablespoons olive oil
4–6-pound pork shoulder
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 large yellow onions, sliced
2 (12-ounce) bottles Gumption Cider
3 cups barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
6-8 buns
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Coleslaw (optional)
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shoulder in the pan until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the garlic and onions until caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes.
Once the pork is browned, place it in a slow cooker. Add the garlic and onions and pour 1{1/2} bottles of the cider into the cooker. Turn the heat to low and add 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce. Cook for about 8 hours or overnight.
Once the pork is cooked, remove from the cooker and shred the meat. Place the shredded meat back in the cooker, add the remaining 1{1/2} cups barbecue sauce, and cook on low for 1 hour, then keep warm on the serve setting. Serve on a bun topped with the caramelized onion sauce, cheddar cheese, and coleslaw, if using.
Excerpted from Tasting Cider © 2017 by Sip Publishing. Photography © by Antonis Achilleos. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.
