Celery 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 at the touch of a fork. The spice rub — turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon — gives the meat a warm, aromatic depth that plays beautifully against the sweet-tart braising liquid. Coconut aminos and a spoonful of honey round out the sauce with a gentle savory-sweet balance, while fresh sage leaves perfume the whole pot as it braises. Once the pork is shredded and tossed back into that reduced, glossy liquid, every bite is rich, saucy, and deeply satisfying. The ingredient list is naturally free of celery and celery derivatives in any form — no celery salt, no celery seed, no hidden vegetable stocks that sneak it in — so you can cook with total confidence. It's the kind of crowd-pleasing centerpiece that works just as well piled onto a bun as it does served over rice or tucked into lettuce wraps.
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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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