Tender, slow-cooked pork infused with applesauce and cider, served on buns for a sweet and savory twist.
# What You Need:
→ Pork
01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed
02 - 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
03 - 1 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
→ Sauce
06 - 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
07 - 1 cup apple cider
08 - ¼ cup brown sugar
09 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
10 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
12 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ To Serve
13 - 6 sandwich buns
14 - 1 cup coleslaw (optional)
15 - Extra applesauce or barbecue sauce (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub all sides generously with the kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cinnamon, ensuring even coverage.
02 - Arrange the thinly sliced yellow onion and minced garlic cloves in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the unsweetened applesauce, apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until the brown sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
04 - Place the seasoned pork shoulder directly on top of the onion and garlic bed. Pour the applesauce glaze evenly over the pork, ensuring the meat is well-coated.
05 - Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on low heat setting for approximately 8 hours. The pork is done when it shreds easily with minimal resistance when tested with a fork.
06 - Carefully remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and transfer to a large cutting board or bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds, discarding any large pieces of excess fat as you work.
07 - Skim any excess fat floating on top of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded pork to the cooker and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with the remaining sauce.
08 - Pile the warm sauced pork onto the sandwich buns. Top with coleslaw if desired and add extra applesauce or barbecue sauce to taste. Serve immediately while hot.
