Go Back
Apple Cider Braised Beef in a dutch oven with apples, red onions, and fresh herbs

Apple Cider Braised Beef

A cozy, easy one-pot dinner with fork-tender beef slow-braised in fresh apple cider, herbs, onions, and apples. Perfect for fall and winter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 7 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 lbs beef chuck roast or beef shoulder roast well-marbled, boneless or bone-in
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil avocado or vegetable oil
  • 2 cups fresh apple cider not apple cider vinegar; refrigerated produce section
  • 2 cups beef stock or broth
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
  • 1 head of garlic top sliced off opposite of root end
  • 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 red onion cut into thick slices
  • 2 firm tart apples peeled and cut into wedges; Honeycrisp or Pink Lady recommended
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or braiser
  • Kitchen twine

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Trim the beef of large fat caps and cut into 4 large pieces, or leave whole if bone-in. Pat completely dry with paper towels and season generously all over with kosher salt and pepper.
  3. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef 4 to 5 minutes per side without moving it until deeply browned on all sides. Work in batches if needed.
  4. Whisk together the apple cider, beef stock, Dijon mustard, and dehydrated minced onion in a bowl. Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine.
  5. Pour the braising liquid into the dutch oven with the seared beef. Nestle in the herb bundle and the whole garlic head. Cover tightly and place in the oven.
  6. Braise for 3.5 to 4 hours total, flipping the beef once halfway through. Start checking at 3 hours. When just shy of fork-tender, remove from oven, arrange the red onion slices and apple wedges around the beef, cover, and return to oven for 30 to 45 more minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let the beef rest in the braising liquid for 30 minutes. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the husk into the broth or over the beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with braising juices spooned over the beef, apples, and onions.

Notes

Beef chuck roast needs longer cooking time than pork shoulder (about 30 to 60 minutes longer). For a thicker sauce, use a cornstarch slurry after cooking. This recipe is even better the next day. Can be made in a slow cooker on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours.