Tender pulled pork with a Fall twist!
I try to keep some cooked protein in my refrigerator at all times. It makes staying on track and eating right way simpler and so much less stressful! Chicken is my go-to protein, but every now and then I like to switch it up. This slow cooker apple butter pulled pork is a fantastic, nutritious, and delicious option that is loaded with protein. I’ve found myself making it more and more often because I love it and my family does, too!
The Perfect Recipe for Autumn
This slow cooker apple butter pulled pork can be enjoyed any time of the year, however, it’s particularly perfect in the fall! Just imagine: The windows are open, letting that fresh, crisp autumn air in. Meanwhile, your home is being filled with the incredible aromas of apples and spices. Better yet, you don’t just get to smell these incredible scents: You get to eat them, too!
The Ease of Slow Cooking
Another great thing about this recipe is that all of the cooking is done in the slow cooker. This makes the cooking process stress-free, and it also means that clean-up is a breeze! Although this recipe is slightly more labor-intensive than some of our other slow cooker options, the resulting dish is well worth the extra effort.
Basically, you’ll make an apple butter first before braising the pork chops in that apple butter for several hours. The result is juicy, shredded pork that is bursting with flavor! Like we said… well worth it!
A Simple Dinner Time Option
The very first thing you’ll need to do is create the apple butter mixture. Begin by placing the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and coconut sugar into the slow cooker. Turn it on high and cook for two hours. If you have extra time, you can turn it on low and cook it for four hours. Of course, this step can be done a few days in advance, so don’t feel like you have to do it all in one day.
When the apple butter mixture is finished, the apples should be soft enough that you can crush them. Add in the cider vinegar, garlic, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix it in with the crushed apples before adding the pork chops. Turn the pork chops to coat them with the apple mixture and cook them for an additional two hours on high (or four hours on low).
When the time is up, remove the pork, shred it, and return it to the slow cooker. Cook on high for ten more minutes, and it’s ready to serve!
Best Ways to Serve this Yummy Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pulled Pork
After shredding the pork, you can serve it on a wheat bun or eat it on its own. Alternatively, you can forego the shredding and serve the pork chops whole with the apple butter spooned over it.
Of course, a main course always benefits from a yummy side dish or two! You may want to consider pairing this apple butter pulled pork with any of these sides:
Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 5 apples peeled, cored and diced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 pork loin chops
Instructions
- Place apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and coconut sugar into slow cooker. Cook on low for four hours, or high for two hours.
- Add cider vinegar, garlic, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix in with the apples (the apples should be soft enough that you can crush them), then add pork chops. Cover the chops with the apple mixture. Cook for an additional four hours on low, or two hours on high. Remove pork, shred and return to the slow cooker. Cook on high for ten more minutes, then serve!
Nutrition Information
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If you enjoyed this apple butter pulled pork recipe, we think you might also like to try these other tasty main course options!
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Editor’s note: This post was originally published on October 21, 2016.
If I substitute chicken (or chicken breast) for the pork, would I use less time in the slow cooker once the chicken is added? If so, how much time should I allocate?
I suggest using a thermoeter for correct doneness.
what do make to go with this? do you eat it as is or over rice or something?
Hi Brittany, you can eat this on it’s own, as a sandwich, or however your prefer to eat your pulled pork!
I made this with a pork loin roast and sliced it using the apples as sauce. It was fabulous!
Wonderful, Cherish! We’re so happy you loved it!
This sounds great but I don’t have a slow cooker. How else can I cook this?
You can use either an instant pot or large cooking pot. For the stovetop method, follow the directions, bring to a low-boil then simmer until done.