Apple cider comes in a myriad of styles and at Loxtonia, the family owned cidery in the Ceres Valley, you’ll find a cider for every taste from dry and crisp to mellow and tangy, and everything in between.
One of the more intriguing ciders in the range is the beer-styled Loxtonia Pale Amber Apple Cider. This well-rounded cider is mellow and smooth with nuances of caramel that meld into a polished apple finish. Even beer lovers enjoy this cider!
The Whitfields of Loxtonia have a treasure trove of family recipes developed over more than 30 years on their Ceres apple farm. With the holiday season almost here, they will be whipping up delicious eats sure to satisfy friends and family. Their juicy Pale Ale Cider-braised pulled pork sandwiches are a winner every time.
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the pork:
± 1,2 – 1,5kg pork shoulder, bone in
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 Tbsp of Spicy Mexican Style Taco Spice
1 tsp of mustard powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 brown onions, sliced
340ml / 1 bottle Loxtonia Pale Amber Cider
250ml / 1 cup of good quality BBQ sauce
To serve
8 soft brioche-style hamburger buns
Softened butter, for toasting
4 Tbsp of tangy mayonnaise
8 large dill pickles, sliced
2 cups of fresh coleslaw
2 pink lady apples, sliced into thin matchsticks
Juice of 1 lime
Sweet potato fries to serve
Method
Rub the pork with olive oil and season well with the spices, salt and pepper.
Sear the pork in a heavy based cast iron pot / Dutch oven until golden brown all over.
Add the onion, Loxtonia Pale Amber Cider and BBQ sauce.
You can cook the pork several ways:
Cover and cook in a 135˚C oven for ± 3½ hours until tender.
Pressure cook on high pressure for 1½ hours. Natural release.
Place in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
Once the pork is very tender, transfer the meat to a clean bowl.
Shred with 2 forks, discarding any excess fatty bits and the bone.
Strain the onion out of the cooking liquid, place the liquid back on the heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half until you have a thick sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
Pour enough reduced cooking liquid over the pulled pork until super juicy. Mix well.
To assemble the sandwiches
Combine the coleslaw and apple.
Season with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Toss.
Spread a little softened butter onto the sliced buns and toast until deeply golden brown.
Top the toasted buns with a little swish of mayo, a generous pile of pulled pork and the apple slaw. Finish with some sliced pickles and the top bun.
Serve with crispy sweet potato fries on the side and enjoy with a cold Loxtonia Pale Amber Cider.
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