These Braised Pork Steaks and Apples in Apple Cider Cream Sauce are the coziest, heartiest one-pan dinner. Tender, juicy pork shoulder steaks get seared until golden, then braised low and slow in a rich, creamy sauce that's deeply savory and a little sweet. It's made with fresh apple cider, shallots, tons of garlic, and heavy cream. Most of the cooking happens in the oven, so you can set it and let it do its thing while your kitchen fills with the most amazing smell. Honeycrisp apple wedges get nestled into the sauce at the end, adding sweet bites throughout. Curl up with a bowl - this comforting dish is calling your name for Sunday supper! 🤤

Gorgeous colorful shot of a plate with mashed rutabaga, creamy braised pork with apples, with a salad, fresh herbs and garlic nearby.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Michigan Apple Committee. We're so proud to partner with them to showcase delicious Michigan apples - the state is the nation's second-largest apple producer! 🍎 If you love pork and apples together, don't miss our apple and onion stuffed pork loin! As always, all opinions are our own.

You'll Crave This Creamy Pork and Apple Casserole All Cozy Season Long! 😊

Living in Michigan means we have access to incredible apples pretty much year-round, thanks to all the family-run farms in our state. On chilly autumn and snowy winter nights, a warm braise like this is exactly what we're craving! We love using Honeycrisp or EverCrisp apples here. They're sweet, crisp, and hold their shape perfectly.

Pork and apples are a classic combination for a reason - the sweetness of the apples balances all that rich, savory goodness perfectly! We've explored this pairing in our pork sausage stuffed apples and apple cider pork pot roast, and we just can't get enough.

Pork shoulder steaks are an underrated, budget-friendly cut that gets meltingly tender with a long braise. 🤤 The sauce is where the magic really happens - fresh apple cider, shallots, a ridiculous amount of garlic, fresh thyme and sage, tangy Dijon, and plenty of cream all come together into something you'll want to pour over everything.

Serve over creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes or brown butter mashed rutabaga (that's what you see in the photos!) with a crisp salad on the side for a delicious dinner!

Close up shot of tender pork pieces with apples and rich gravy on top of mashed rutabaga with thyme, black pepper, and parsley.

Ingredients For Apple Cider Braised Pork Steaks & Apples 🍎

This recipe comes together with simple, flavorful ingredients - tender pork shoulder steaks, fresh apple cider, aromatic shallots and garlic, fresh herbs, and crisp Honeycrisp apples.

Ingredients to make creamy braised pork steaks and apples laid out on a table labeled to denote each ingredient.

🥩Not sure what a pork shoulder steak is? Pork shoulder steaks (sometimes called blade steaks) are cut from the shoulder and have a bit of fat marbling that keeps them incredibly tender and juicy during a long braise. They're super budget-friendly and perfect for this kind of low-and-slow cooking! Look for steaks that are about ¾ to 1 inch thick. If they have a bone in them (ours did), great! That will add even more flavor!

💡What to substitute: Can't find pork steaks? Bone-in country-style ribs make a great substitute since they're also from the shoulder. Skip the pork chops here - they're too lean for a 90-minute braise and will turn out dry and stringy.

How to Make Braised Pork Shoulder Steak with Apples 🍎

Don't let the long cook time intimidate you - this is mostly hands-off oven time! The pork gets incredibly tender while you go about your day.

Seasoning pork steaks with a seasoning blend surrounded by apples shallots and other ingredients.

Step 1: Pat your pork shoulder steaks dry with paper towels, and rub them with a little oil. Mix together the dry rub - kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, smoked paprika, dried sage, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season generously on both sides.

Seasoned raw pork steaks surrounded by apples shallots and other ingredients.

Make sure everything is super well-coated. Don't be shy, this will create the most flavorful pork! 🤤

🧂We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is our go-to for seasoning meat - about 1 teaspoon per pound. If you're using Morton's kosher salt or table salt, use about half as much since they're saltier by volume.

Pork steaks in an enameled skillet surrounded by ingredients for the braise.

Step 2: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the steaks until deeply golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. If your steaks have a fat cap, sear that side too for 1-2 minutes to render some of the fat and add extra flavor. They won't be cooked through yet - that's what the braise is for! Transfer to a plate and set aside.

💡 The pan will look dark from the fond after searing - don't worry! All those gorgeous browned bits are *flavor* and will make your gravy so delicious!

Shallots in an enameled skillet with a wooden spoon stirring them.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Toss in your sliced shallots and season with salt.

Cooking shallots in a pan and stirring to scrape up the pan bits.

Cook for 5-7 minutes until they're softened and starting to caramelize. They will look dark from the fond, that's okay, all of that flavor is really going to make the cream sauce delicious!

Cooked shallots with flour and garlic added to the pan.

Step 4: Add the flour and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. This is your roux, and it'll thicken and stabilize the sauce so the cream doesn't break during braising later. And yes, before you say anything, WE LOVE GARLIC! 😂🧄 Measure it with your heart! Besides, it mellows beautifully anyway during the braise.

Stirring in apple cider to a skillet full of cooked shallots, pan drippings, and garlic.

Step 5: Pour in the fresh apple cider and chicken stock, scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce added to pan sauce.

Stir in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

🍎 Use fresh apple cider from the refrigerated section or a cider mill, not apple cider vinegar or shelf-stable apple juice. Fresh cider has that tangy-sweet depth that makes the sauce taste incredible.

Pork steaks nestled into a pan with gravy in it, with fresh thyme and sage added.

Step 6: Nestle the seared pork steaks back into the braising liquid - it's totally fine if they overlap a bit! Add your fresh thyme sprigs and sage leaves. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil, and transfer it to the oven.

💡 No fresh herbs? Dried thyme and sage work great here - use about 1 teaspoon of each. Add them with the liquids so they have time to bloom during the braise.

Cooked pork steaks in a skillet in a rich gravy.

Step 7: Braise for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven. The pork will be incredibly tender and falling apart!

Stirring heavy cream into a skillet full of pan drippings, shallots, and rich gravy.

Step 8: Gently transfer the steaks to a plate. Discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the heavy cream.

Rich and creamy gravy being stirred together in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Add more stock if desired, and whisk or stir together until a creamy, cohesive gravy forms.

💡 The sauce might look separated and greasy when it comes out of the oven - don't panic! Adding in the cream and stock (if needed) and stirring makes it come right back together into a silky, creamy gravy.

Pork steaks and apples added to a skillet with creamy gravy.

Step 9: Add your apple wedges to the gravy, then nestle the pork back in. Cover and return to the oven.

Cooked pork steaks and apple chunks in a skillet with creamy gravy.

Step 10: Cook for 30-35 minutes until the apples are tender. Remove from the oven, and take out the pork and either cut it into pieces or gently pull it apart (it'll be fall-apart tender). Stir in the apple cider vinegar, taste, and adjust seasonings.

🍎 Best apples for braising: We used Michigan Honeycrisp and EverCrisp, which both held their shape beautifully without getting mushy. SweeTango, Fuji, Cripps Pink, Braeburn, or Jonagold would also work great. Avoid softer varieties - they'll break down too much. Find your favorite Michigan Apple variety here!

Serve smothered in that creamy gravy with the apple wedges, and garnish with fresh thyme, parsley, and black pepper.

Beautiful 45-degree shot of a green bowl filled with mashed rutabaga and a creamy smothered pork and apples surrounded by a salad, garlic, shallots, fresh apples, a candle, and herbs.

What to Serve With Apple Braised Pork Steaks🍽️

This braised pork is delicious over mashed potatoes, polenta, egg noodles, and even rice - anything to soak up that incredible sauce! 🤤

We like to round out the meal with some vegetables, too! This gorgeous arugula apple salad with apple cider vinaigrette keeps the apple theme going strong. You can't go wrong with a side of oven roasted green beans and carrots!

Close up shot of a green bowl filled with orange mashed rutabaga, creamy braised pork and apples with a creamy gravy and a salad nearby.

A few brown butter herb drop biscuits would be AMAZING on the side to mop up every last bit of that cream sauce!

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