cider for slow cooker pork

annamcmahon

Can anyone recommend a good cider for cooking pork chops in the slow cooker? Thinking of doing a cider and mustard sauce and adding some creme fraiche at the end. Maybe some mushrooms too.

twerg_85

nothing too sweet i'd say. you could always use apple juice and a touch of cider/white wine vinegar.

Swiper the fox

I recently used the spiced apple and rhubarb from Bulmers to make a normandy pork casserole and it worked a treat. Being honest with you though I don't think it will make a whole pile of difference which type you use, regular Bulmers is probably as good as anything.

shrapnel222

the best for cooking is French farmhouse cider (usually) from Normandy (cidre brut) which you can get amongst other places in o'brien's. incredibly dry and smells of the farm. It gives amazing flavor to pork.

rubadub

Swiper the fox wrote: »

regular Bulmers is probably as good as anything.

Bulmers is unlike any other cider I ever tasted. It is more like an alcopop of fizzy apple juice & vodka. So it is more like cooking in apple juice, which would be a lot cheaper than overpriced bulmers. More traditional tasting ciders would be cheaper than bulmers too.

annamcmahon

It's a more traditional type cider that was thinking of. I don't drink so I don't know what's a good one and not just the same as bulmers but with a different name

Thud

Bulmers is a sweet cider most of the others sold in off licences are dry ciders, simlar to sweet and dry wines, depends on your preference.

If you want a dry cider something like strongbow or stella cidre would do for cooking, prob no need to splash out on expensive bottled stuff and probably safer to stay away from the bottom shelf stuff (Linden, scrumpy etc)

Druids is also sweet and think some of the koppabergs are as well.

Swiper the fox

All's I'm saying is that it won't make a pile of difference to the final dish if you use Bulmers or an organic hand pressed cider from Brittany, there was a similar debate here recently about which stout is best for a beef and guinness stew/pie, again I don't think it makes a pile of difference after 5 or six hours cooking with the other ingredients,

the beer revolu

Swiper the fox wrote: »

All's I'm saying is that it won't make a pile of difference to the final dish if you use Bulmers or an organic hand pressed cider from Brittany, there was a similar debate here recently about which stout is best for a beef and guinness stew/pie, again I don't think it makes a pile of difference after 5 or six hours cooking with the other ingredients,

Sure, why worry about any of the ingredients in a slow cooked dish in that case?

Swiper the fox

the beer revolu wrote: »

Sure, why worry about any of the ingredients in a slow cooked dish in that case?

Fair enough, I haven't had any problems when I've used mass produced cider or stout for cooking purposes, that's all, there's a lot of snobbery in the foodie sphere when it comes to such things, if a popular recipe called for cola soft drink I've no doubt that that the most popular brand would find itself out of favour.

GHOST MGG

apart from the cider issue,using pork chops in the slow cooker wouldnt be ideal.
maybe a piece of shoulder of pork or even a piece of the lion(where the pork chops normally are cut from)
would lend itself more to slow cooking..even ask the butcher if he could leave the bone on the lion would be great.

Swiper the fox

GHOST MGG wrote: »

apart from the cider issue,using pork chops in the slow cooker wouldnt be ideal.
maybe a piece of shoulder of pork or even a piece of the lion(where the pork chops normally are cut from)
would lend itself more to slow cooking..even ask the butcher if he could leave the bone on the lion would be great.

Gigot chops would be fine but if the op is thinking of using the better known loin chops then I'd imagine they would become very dry.

Dizzyblonde

I've cooked thickly cut loin chops in a casserole-type recipe in the slow cooker and they were really nice.

annamcmahon

I have a load of thick cut loin chops in the freezer and have done them in the sc before. As Dizzyblonde said they are good in casserole type dishes. I agree other cuts would be moister but need to use what I've got and a shoulder is just too much for 2 adults and a baba unfortunately.

Mellor

I use strongbow dry when cooking rabbit.

the beer revolu

Swiper the fox wrote: »

All's I'm saying is that it won't make a pile of difference to the final dish if you use Bulmers or an organic hand pressed cider from Brittany, there was a similar debate here recently about which stout is best for a beef and guinness stew/pie, again I don't think it makes a pile of difference after 5 or six hours cooking with the other ingredients,

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Fair enough, I haven't had any problems when I've used mass produced cider or stout for cooking purposes, that's all, there's a lot of snobbery in the foodie sphere when it comes to such things, if a popular recipe called for cola soft drink I've no doubt that that the most popular brand would find itself out of favour.

Ah, the ole "if someone's more into something than me, they're a snob", chestnut.
Nobody here said you need to use an expensive or exclusive cider to cook with but that you need to use the right cider for your dish. The difference say between Koppaberg and Strongbow (which I would also recommend - cheap, alright and dryish) would be massive. You use what ever you like in your dishes but because somebody here has found, by experience, that Normandy Cider (usually pretty cheap) goes well with pork does not make them a snob.

Also to suggest that using a can of Guinness is much the same thing as using a can of Smithwicks (the debate was much more than about which stout to use) in a beef stew is just stupid. It would be akin to using chicken or beef stock interchangeably - but then I'm probably just a snob in these matters;)

Swiper the fox

the beer revolu wrote: »

Ah, the ole "if someone's more into something than me, they're a snob", chestnut.
Nobody here said you need to use an expensive or exclusive cider to cook with but that you need to use the right cider for your dish. The difference say between Koppaberg and Strongbow (which I would also recommend - cheap, alright and dryish) would be massive. You use what ever you like in your dishes but because somebody here has found, by experience, that Normandy Cider (usually pretty cheap) goes well with pork does not make them a snob.

Also to suggest that using a can of Guinness is much the same thing as using a can of Smithwicks (the debate was much more than about which stout to use) in a beef stew is just stupid. It would be akin to using chicken or beef stock interchangeably - but then I'm probably just a snob in these matters;)

Hold on there a second fella, I don't get your post at all, why did you get the impression that you are "more into something" than me? In my first post I pointed out that a Bulmers cider worked well for my dish when I made a Normandy pork casserole, does my recommendation hold no weight here?

Finally Smithwicks is not stout, why would you use ale in a beef and stout dish? Maybe we are talking about a different thread or maybe I wasn't in it till the finish.

Pardon me for my tone but your reply to me was a bit over the top, it seemed like you called me "stupid" for a comment which I didn't even make.

homemadecider

Dear jaysus, I'd never cook with Bulmers. Not suitable at all, way way too sweet and sickly. Get something nice and dry, O'Briens stock some very nice French ciders which would be perfect.

Swiper the fox

OK, I know I'm beaten now, debating booze with homemadecider and the beer revolu:o

Suppose my main point was that if Bulmers is all you can get your hands on the food will turn out fine, maybe not as good as the results ye are getting but perfectly decent, is saying that when I did cook with it it was the spiced apple and rhubarb version

the beer revolu

Swiper the fox wrote: »

In my first post I pointed out that a Bulmers cider worked well for my dish when I made a Normandy pork casserole, does my recommendation hold no weight here?

Your opinion holds as much weight as anyone else's but that doesn't mean that anyone who disagrees with you is some class of a 'snob'

Finally Smithwicks is not stout, why would you use ale in a beef and stout dish? Maybe we are talking about a different thread or maybe I wasn't in it till the finish.

Yes, I'm quite aware Smithwick's is not a stout. If you read either of the threads about beef and Guinness pie you would know that the discussion went on to discuss not only stouts but other beers in stew too. The choice of stout can make a big difference if you are sticking to stout (personally, I don't like the taste of Guinness in a stew) and, obviously, using an ale would make even a bigger difference. However you deftly pooh, poohed that as just snobbery!

Pardon me for my tone but your reply to me was a bit over the top, it seemed like you called me "stupid" for a comment which I didn't even make.

You are excused;)
If you didn't make such a comment then I can hardly infer that you are stupid, now, can I?

BaZmO*

Forget that French stuff! Buy Irish!

If cost wasn't a huge issue I'd go with Llewellyns. Amazing cider, and it was the cider that made me realise that I actually do like cider, the proper sort of course, and not the sickly sweet apple flavoured fruit drink that's so popular over here.

Conveniently enough, the LL comes in a Bone Dry & Medium Dry versions, so you can choose what suits best.