Slow Cooker Pork Stew with Apples and Cider

Name: Slow Cooker Pork and Cider Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 380 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork shoulder ((cut into 1" pieces)); 2 tablespoons olive oil ((or coconut oil)); 1 medium red onion ((chopped)); 2 large carrots ((peeled and sliced)); 2 stalks celery ((sliced)); 1 pound new baby potatoes ((cut into bite-sized pieces, quartered or cut into wedges)); 2 sweet apples ((peeled, cored, and diced)); 2 cups apple cider ((hard apple cider can be used)); ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon curry; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 bay leaves; ¾ cup coconut milk; 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Jump to Recipe

You'll love this slow cooker pork stew recipe for how easy it is to make and how delicious it is! This stew is loaded with tender pork, vegetables, sweet apples, apple cider, and a hint of curry - a surprising combination of flavors that can't be beat!

Jump to:

Why You'll ❤️ This Pork Stew
🥘 What You'll Need
🔪 How To Make It
🥗 How To Serve It
📖 Variations
💭 Top Tips
❓FAQs
✔️ More Pork Recipes
Recipe
💬 Comments

Why You'll ❤️ This Pork Stew

"Slow cooker pork stew with apples and cider is easy to make and has a wonderful combination of flavors from the pork, cider, apple, and curry! Throw all the ingredients into the crock pot and come back 6 to 8 hours later to a fully cooked meal! Love it."

If you love easy slow cooker stews, be sure to make this delicious Beef Stroganoff, Irish stew, Texas-style no bean chili, and Hawaiian Beef Stew.

Amazing Flavor

Pork and apples are a classic well-known combination of flavors. The sweet with the savory is perfectly complimented by the coconut milk, curry, and cinnamon.

This slow cooker pork stew is hearty, creamy, super flavorful, and ultimately, delicious!

Easy

This recipe is super easy to throw together. Prepare all your ingredients into the crockpot to be cooked on low all day (6 to 8 hours).

When you're ready to eat, add your coconut milk and cornstarch mixture and combine them well all together. In 20 minutes, dinner is ready!

Healthy

This well-balanced stew is high in protein, gluten-free, and dairy-free! Watch the apple cider you purchase for added sugars.

🥘 What You'll Need

Here are the ingredients you will need to make slow cooker pork stew:

Pork Shoulder - this is a great cost-effective piece of meat that is perfect for slow cooking to make it nice and tender. You could also use pork butt or pork loin if preferred.
Red Onion - you can substitute with your preferred type of onion. I used red onion for the color and great flavor.
Carrots
Celery
Baby Potatoes - you can use any kind of baby potatoes. Some may cook faster than others so try to use the same kind for an even cooking process.
Sweet Apples - some sweet apple varieties are fuji, Honeycrisp, pink lady, and gala.
Apple Cider - the best flavor is the fresh "milky" looking apple cider (usually in the produce section), but regular apple juice or other apple cider can be used.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Curry - a traditional Indian spice used in their dishes. It adds great color and flavor. Curry ranges in spice level, so be sure to watch which one you purchase depending on your heat tolerance.
Cinnamon - compliments curry flavor very well and is also used in many Indian dishes for the great flavor and aroma it adds.
Bay Leaves - are aromatic when cooked in soups or stews for long periods. The oils are pulled from the bay leaves and add a wonderful savory flavor.
Coconut Milk - canned coconut is the easiest to find and use in this recipe. It adds a great creamy texture to the stew and a slightly sweet flavor.
Cornstarch - used as a thickening agent in the stew. This is mixed with the coconut milk at the end and then added to the stew to thicken the sauce.

For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

🔪 How To Make It

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making slow cooker pork stew:

Add Ingredients

In a 6-quart slow cooker, add all the ingredients except the coconut milk and cornstarch. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the pork and vegetables are tender.

Coconut Mixture

In a small bowl, add the coconut milk and whisk in the cornstarch. Add to the crockpot and stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Let it sit in the slow cooker without the lid on to thicken for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Finish and Serve

Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and serve over cooked rice or cauliflower rice.

🥗 How To Serve It

Here are a few ways to serve this crockpot pork stew :

Garnish with fresh parsley, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over cooked rice or riced cauliflower with crusty bread.

Meal idea! I love to serve this stew with a fresh side salad drizzled with maple balsamic dressing and nice warmed bread.

📖 Variations

Here are a few ways you can customize this slow cooker pork stew:

Curry powder comes in different levels of spice. Be sure to watch which one you purchase. If you like extra spice then you can get a spicier curry powder and increase as you like.
Hard apple cider can be substituted for the apple cider.
You can substitute pork with lamb, turkey, or chicken if preferred.
Make this vegetarian or vegan by omitting the pork or replacing the protein with tofu.
Adjust the ingredients in this recipe as you prefer. Feel free to omit or replace certain seasonings if you'd like to!
Add additional vegetables can be added to this stew, such as 1 cup frozen peas, snap peas, or corn.

💭 Top Tips

Time saver: prep all ingredients in advance and place in the slow cooker covered in plastic wrap in your fridge. Then, all you have to do the day you want to cook this is turn it on!
Instant Pot instructions: This recipe will work in a pressure cooker! Saute (high) the vegetables in olive oil for about 5 to 10 minutes until they start to turn golden. Add all remaining ingredients (except cornstarch) and pressure cook (high) 25 minutes. Quick release the steam, carefully remove lid, then add corn starch slurry. Set the pot on the saute (low) setting and stir until the sauce starts to thicken.
Any potato will work well for this recipe. For ease, find some small fingerling potatoes or baby reds and put them into the crock pot whole for less prep time!

❓FAQs

How To Store

Cool your leftovers and store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

How To Reheat

Reheat in a microwave until the desired temperature has been reached or in a small sauté skillet or saucepan until your leftovers have come to a simmer or have reached 165 degrees using an instant-read thermometer.

How To Freeze

Place cooled leftovers into an airtight freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.

What does apple cider vinegar do to pork?

Apple cider vinegar brings more than tang and acidity to pork. It also helps break down and tenderize it - ultimately giving it much juicier cut of pork.

Can you put raw pork in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can cook raw pork in a slow cooker. This ensures that any harmful bacteria have been killed in the cooking process. Cook your pork has heated through and has reached a proper temperature (145 degrees F) using an instant-read thermometer.

Do you need liquid in a slow cooker for pork?

Only a small amount of liquid is needed, ½ cup or so. Most, if not all, ingredients cooked in a slow cooker will release their own moisture.

✔️ More Pork Recipes

If you are looking for more delicious pork recipes, be sure to check these out:

If you tried this slow cooker pork stew recipe, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give it a 5-star rating and/or a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please share photos of your creations with me and others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Don't forget to tag #seekinggoodeats

Slow Cooker Pork Stew with Apples and Cider