Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Start by trimming any thick fat caps off the pork roast (leave a little for flavor, but not too much). If your roast is boneless, go ahead and cut it into 3–4 large chunks—it’ll braise more evenly this way. If it’s bone-in, you can leave it whole.

Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and shimmering, sear the pork in batches if needed—give each piece about 4–5 minutes per side, or until it’s beautifully golden brown. Don’t rush this part—it builds flavor.

While the pork is browning, whisk together the hard cider, beef stock, spicy brown mustard, and onion powder in a bowl. Set that aside.

Once the pork is seared, pour the cider mixture into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. That’s where the flavor lives.

Add the smashed garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme straight into the pot. No need to tie them—just nestle them around the meat.

Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Let it braise for about 3 hours—start checking around 2½ hours if your pork is boneless. Flip the pork pieces halfway through so they soak up all that good stuff.

Once the pork is nearly fall-apart tender, take the pot out and arrange the sliced onions and apple wedges around the pork. Cover it back up and return to the oven for another 30–45 minutes, until the apples are soft and the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender.

When it’s done, let the pork rest right in the pot with the braising liquid for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors get even better as it sits.

Right before serving, squeeze the softened garlic out of the cloves—it’s mellow and sweet now—either into the broth or smeared right on the pork. Taste the sauce and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the pork spooned over with the cider-infused juices, apples, and tender onions. Total cozy comfort food.