Crockpot Apple Cider Pork Bowls

There’s no doubt about it: I love dinner bowls. Some of my favorites are these pulled pork rice bowls and these ground pork egg roll bowls, both of which are often the first recipes I think of when writing out my weekly meal plan. Dinner bowls are just such an easy way to feed my family a pleasing dinner with layers of good flavor. And these new fall pork bowls are especially convenient since I can meal prep all the components ahead of time for quick assembly on weeknights. This recipe also gives me plenty of tasty and cozy leftovers to reheat for lunch on crisp autumn days. 

This recipe was created in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board.

Main Ingredients

This isn’t the full list of ingredients, but just some notes I wanted to share about the main ones: 

• Boneless pork shoulder – I think a pork shoulder roast is the perfect cut of meat for this recipe since it cooks low and slow in the crockpot until tender and then shreds perfectly. Sometimes a boneless pork shoulder is labeled as a picnic shoulder, pork butt, or Boston butt. Any cut labeled as those will work great in this recipe, and a bone-in pork roast will also work. 
• Sweet potatoes – sweet potatoes or yam are ultra nutritious and make the perfect creamy and colorful base for the salty and savory pork in these fall dinner bowls. 
• Apple – To contribute color and nice sweetness, I tend to choose a Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Gala, or Pink Lady apple from local stands or the grocery store. Choose any favorite variety. If you like less sweet and more tart slaw, I suggest a Granny Smith apple.  
• Apple cider – I use apple cider as the main braising liquid for cooking the pork roast. It helps tenderize the meat and also contributes subtle sweetness that is perfect for the fall flavor profile I’m going for. Can also use apple juice or chicken stock. 
• Coleslaw mix – For more color and nutrients, I buy coleslaw mix that contains shredded green cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Just shredded cabbage also works. 

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition information, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, total fat, saturated fat, fiber, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol per serving.

Taste What Pork Can Do

Pork is one of the most popular and versatile proteins used in cuisines across the entire world. We love to create a variety of pork recipes, ranging from our popular main dish Crockpot Pork Roast with Veggies and Smothered Pork Chops to weeknight solutions like this Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin and One-Pan Pork Loin With Brussels and Apples. Pork is even a great way to get more protein at breakfast, like this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole made with pork breakfast sausage and these Pork Breakfast Meatballs.  

Make It Dairy Free

I gravitate towards naturally gluten free and dairy free recipes to work with the various food sensitivities in my household. This recipe is naturally gluten free and can easily be modified to be dairy free with a single swap. Instead of using butter when making the mashed sweet potatoes, make them with avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil instead, or just completely omit the butter without adding anything else. They mash great even without the addition of fat.

How To Meal Prep Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Bowls

Don’t get me wrong, this recipe is a simple one to do the same day I plan to serve it. If that’s the case, I just get the pork cooking in the slow cooker right away in the morning. Then, when I have a few minutes in the day, I make the mashed sweet potatoes and the apple slaw. 

But if I have some extra time on the weekend for meal prep, this is a great recipe to knock out some or all of the pieces ahead of time, since each component stores well in the fridge for several days.

1. Slow cook the pork. When the roast pork is done cooking in the crockpot, shred it, toss it with the cooking juices, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
2. Prepare the sweet potatoes. Boil the cubed sweet potatoes in a large Dutch oven or large saucepan, then drain and mash them until smooth. Store the mashed sweet potatoes in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
3. Make the apple slaw. Toss together the apple slaw ingredients, then store in the fridge for up to 2 days. 
4. To assemble, reheat the pork pot roast and mashed potatoes in separate pots or large saucepans on the stovetop, adding a little more liquid (water, apple juice, or broth) to loosen them up and deglaze the pan as they heat. Then build the bowls with a base of the mashed sweet potatoes, followed by the warm shredded pork, and the crisp cold apple coleslaw.  

How To Serve

The different components of this recipe culminate into a complete dinner that really doesn’t require any additional side dishes. I usually top them with a garish of sliced scallions and chopped fresh parsley (or fresh thyme sprigs or other fresh herbs). My husband sometimes adds a few pickled jalapenos, pickled red onions, squeeze of lime juice, or a drizzle of mustard-based BBQ sauce, but I find that the bowls are perfectly tender, crispy, and satisfying when assembled just with the pork, potatoes, and slaw.  

I’ve also served the leftover pork and slaw over top of cooked rice (either jasmine rice or brown rice) instead of the mashed potatoes, and it’s also really good that way, too. 

Storage And Reheat

Store leftover pork and mashed sweet potatoes in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the apple slaw in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pork and sweet potatoes also can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

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The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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