Caffeine Free Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Sage
Pulled pork gets a serious upgrade here, braised low and slow in unfiltered apple cider and bone broth until it practically falls apart on its own. The braising liquid is a quietly brilliant mix — sweet honey, tangy apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, and warm spices like turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon give the meat a depth that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. Fresh sage and thyme steep into the liquid as it braises, perfuming the whole dish with an herby, autumnal quality that makes the kitchen smell incredible. Once the pork is shredded, the braising liquid gets reduced down into a glossy, concentrated sauce that coats every strand. Everything in this recipe is naturally free of coffee, tea, chocolate, and other stimulants — no label-reading required, just clean, whole ingredients from start to finish. It's the kind of crowd-pleasing centerpiece that works just as well piled onto a plate with roasted vegetables as it does tucked into a sandwich. Finish it with a scatter of fresh sliced sage and you've got a dish that looks and tastes like something from a serious kitchen.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 lb bone-in pork shoulder (boston butt)
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 cup unfiltered apple cider (not hard cider)
- 1 cup bone broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp honey
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, pressing it into the surface.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork shoulder and sear, turning with tongs every 3–4 minutes, until deeply browned on all sides, about 12–15 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a plate.
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