When the air turns crisp, this pork and apple casserole is my go-to: slow-braised pork shoulder steaks in dry cider with chunky apples, finished with a splash of cream for a silky sauce. It’s an economical, low-fuss casserole that gently braises in the oven for around 2 hours, transforming inexpensive pork into meltingly tender bites. Serve with buttery mashed potato and plenty of green veg for a comforting autumn or winter meal.
“My family loved this dish. I omitted mushrooms and added a red and yellow pepper because my daughter dislikes mushrooms. It worked very well. The apple balances the dry cider. It’s a winner!”
– ChazInSwitzerland
Table of Contents
- I love this pork & apple casserole
- 📋 What do we need?
- 🔪 How to make this Pork and Apple Casserole
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Creamy Pork and Apple Casserole Recipe
- More Casseroles/Stews to try
I love this pork & apple casserole
This recipe has been tested and retested many times — partly because it’s reliable and partly because I like it. As soon as the weather turns cooler, it’s on repeat in our kitchen.
Pork and apples are a classic pairing in autumn: sweet, crisp apples against savoury pork in a creamy cider and sage sauce. It gives cosy, roast-style comfort without the fuss.
Keep the apple pieces chunky so they hold their shape (Jazz, Braeburn or Pink Lady work well). Use a dry cider for brightness and pork shoulder steaks for the best melt-in-the-mouth texture after a gentle braise. Finish with a few fresh sage leaves and serve alongside buttery mash and peppery greens.
There are notes in the recipe card on how to make this in a slow cooker if you prefer.
📋 What do we need?
The best cut of pork for this casserole
I recommend pork shoulder steaks because the fat running through them keeps the meat tender. Trim any large excess fat and cut each steak into 3–4 large chunks.
- You can use a boneless pork shoulder joint, cut into large chunks instead.
- Pork loin steaks will work but are leaner; reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes to avoid drying them out.
A note on the cider
- Cider – Use a dry alcoholic cider (hard cider in the US) for a clean, savoury finish. Medium-dry will be slightly sweeter. Avoid very sweet or scrumpy styles. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, substitute the same volume of unsweetened apple juice plus 1–2 tsp cider vinegar, or use a 0% dry cider alternative.
- Tip: Don’t use apple cider vinegar as the main liquid — it’s too sharp. Most alcohol cooks off during the long braise.
Ingredient swaps & additions
- Add veg such as baby carrots, leeks or courgette (zucchini) chunks — add them before the casserole goes in the oven.
- Add green beans when you add the apples, or stir in peas for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Swap the cream for crème fraîche for a slightly tangier finish.
- Stir in a teaspoon of Dijon or wholegrain mustard to add a gentle kick.
🔪 How to make this Pork and Apple Casserole
Full recipe and detailed steps are in the recipe card further down.
Method overview: brown the pork in a little oil with salt and pepper. Add the onion and mushrooms and soften, then stir in garlic. Sprinkle with flour, pour in the cider and stock, add the sage, cover and bake at low heat for about 90 minutes. Stir in the cream and the sliced apples, then return to the oven for 25 minutes until the pork is tender and the apples are soft but still hold shape.
Recipe Tips
- Brown the pork, onions and mushrooms first for deep flavour, then dust with flour before deglazing. The browned bits dissolve into the sauce and the flour thickens it into a silky gravy with no lumps.
- Increase the apples and mushrooms to stretch the dish to feed up to six people.
Tender pork in a cider-kissed, creamy sage sauce, dotted with mushrooms and soft apple wedges. Proper spoon-licking comfort — perfect for a cosy night in.
🍽️ What to serve it with
Top with a few fresh sage leaves and serve with creamy mashed potatoes and a bright green vegetable. Thinly sliced raw apple on top adds a pleasant crunch.
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Roasted, sautéed or baked potatoes all work well
- Green beans, spring greens or roasted broccoli
- Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce
📺 Watch how to make it
If you prefer to watch, the video demonstrates browning the pork and how chunky to slice the apples.
Click the stars to rate or comment
Creamy Pork and Apple Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Creamy Pork:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g (1.1 lbs) pork shoulder steaks, chopped into large chunks
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 12 button mushrooms, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 240 ml (1 cup) dry cider (hard cider in the US)
- 420 ml (1 3/4 cups) chicken stock
- ½ tsp dried sage (or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage)
- 2 crisp dessert apples, cored and sliced into thick wedges (Jazz, Braeburn or Pink Lady)
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
To Serve:
- 6 fresh sage leaves (optional)
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F (fan).
- Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork chunks, season with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides, about 5–6 minutes total.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the meat, onion and mushrooms.
- Pour in the cider and chicken stock, add the dried sage, then bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Cover and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Check a couple of times towards the end and add a splash of water or stock if it looks dry.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the sliced apples and the cream.
- Replace the lid and return to the oven for 25 minutes until the apples are tender and the pork is very tender.
- Serve topped with fresh sage leaves and thin apple slices for crunch. Serve with mashed potato and green vegetables.
Notes
Make Ahead & Freezer Instructions
Make the casserole completely (including cream and apples), cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat covered at 175°C/325°F for 30–40 minutes until piping hot, adding a splash of stock if needed. Alternatively, reheat gently on the hob over low–medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring.
To freeze: cook fully, cool, cover and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
Slow cooker method
After browning the pork and softening the veg on the stove, transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Add the sliced apples for the last hour, then stir in the cream before serving. If you add the apples at the start they will be softer and may break down slightly, but the dish will still taste great. Total slow cooker time will be roughly 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low if apples are added at the beginning.
Scaling
Halve the recipe to serve two, using a smaller casserole and halving all quantities except the stock — use about 360 ml (1½ cups) of stock so it doesn’t dry out. Cooking times remain similar. To double the recipe, double all ingredients; frying the pork and onions will take a little longer, but the braising times remain the same.
Stovetop cooking
You can finish this on the stove: cook gently, stirring occasionally, and add extra liquid if it looks dry. It may be ready 20–30 minutes sooner—check the pork for tenderness.
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, and does not include side dishes. This recipe serves 4 people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This pork casserole was first published in October 2014 and updated in February 2021 with new photos, video and a few recipe tweaks. It has been updated since for improvements and housekeeping.
More Casseroles/Stews to try
Slow Cooked
Slow Cooked Steak Diane Casserole
Big Batch
Sausage Casserole
Dinner
Creamy Slow Cooked Pork Casserole
One Pot
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom One Pan Casserole
British Classic Recipes
Chicken Cobbler
Chicken
Chicken Casserole
Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary. For more details see Terms & Conditions.