Pork butt works best because it becomes tender and flavorful during long, slow cooking. Pork shoulder is another great option as well because it has a lot of connective tissue, so either cut would be great.

It has a sweet and sour flavor with a noticeable apple-forward sweetness and mild tang from the cider vinegar. Together with the spices, this dish has a comforting, Southern-style taste that would make any old-fashioned country cook happy.

Cooking a pork roast in the oven takes 3-4 hours at 350°F. The first 2 hours of covered cooking are essential for tenderizing the meat, then the final 1-2 hours concentrates the flavors in the braising liquid—so adjust the final phase based on how much liquid you add to the 9×13 baking pan.

Yes—cover the pork roast for the first 2 hours to create a warm, moist environment that’ll tenderize the meat. After that, leave most of the pan uncovered to reduce the braising liquid—but remember to keep the moist itself covered to prevent dryness and burning.

Searing adds deep flavor by browning the outside of the meat and developing a richer taste. It also helps lock in juices and improves the overall texture of the roast.

Keep it covered for part of the cooking time and make sure there is enough braising liquid in the dish. Basting during the final stage also helps keep the meat moist and flavorful.

It’s highly recommended to trim most of the fat cap because it can burn during cooking. Removing it also prevents the braising liquid from becoming overly greasy.

I recommend Golden Delicious apples since they’re sweet—but not overly sweet—and tend to hold up to cooking better than other varieties. Granny Smith would likely be a good choice as well, but I’d personally avoid super sweet varieties like Fuji or Honeycrisp since I think they’d likely disintegrate with the prolonged cooking.

Potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery are great because they hold up the cooking very well. Other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips would probably be fine, but I’d avoid beets because the red color would likely bleed into the braising liquid.

Rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread all pair well with the sweet and sour braising liquid. Collard greens or green beans would be good southern-style sides, too.