Best 18 Hard Cider Recipes

PORK CHOPS WITH HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Rub each pork chop on both sides with halved garlic. Add 2 pork chops to the skillet; cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Repeat with remaining 2 pork chops.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add to pork chops in the casserole dish. Spread rice and apples on top.
• Combine chicken broth, hard cider, cloves, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper in a 1-quart saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour broth mixture over apples in the casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the pork chops reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 45 minutes.

SIMPLE HARD APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• pour out a little of the juice so there's room, pour the yeast and 1 1/2 cups sugar in, top back up with apple juice but leave at least an inch of room at the top. replace the lid and shake well to dissolve yeast and sugar as much as possible.
• stretch a balloon over the top of the jug instead of the lid, poke a few holes in the top of the balloon with a pin. this is your air lock. it will allow CO2 to escape without letting bacteria inches i like to wrap string or a rubber band around the balloon to keep it firmly in place and sealed.
• set in a closet or basement and ignore for a month.
• when you come back your balloon will be somewhat limp (rather then rigid and puffed up like it's been when you've been checking on it, oh yes you have) and your brew should be back to as clear as it was before you added things. if you used store brand apple juice it should be clear, if organic it will still be somewhat cloudy, either way there should be a clear separation from the sediment at the bottom.
• either carefully pour out your cider, leaving the sediment at the bottom, or siphon out. add as much of the remaining sugar as pleases your taste buds, at least 1/4 cup though or it won't carbonate.
• wash out some pop bottles really well, this looks ghetto but they were designed to handle the pressure of carbonation and wine bottles could explode. if you want to be really pro you can get proper beer bottles and stuff, i just don't serve in these. pour your brew into the bottles, try not to leave them half full, you'll need one two liter and one 500ml bottle, unless you spill a bunch while siphoning, like i did.
• seal the lids on well and let sit for another week to mellow and carbonate, chill and drink! it will mellow more as it ages but i wouldn't let it go more then a year.

SPICED HARD CIDER PUNCH

Steps:

• Place the hot water in a small stainless steel saucepan and add the sugar, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pan. Bring to a boil, place a lid over the saucepan and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the flavors have married, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a non-reactive bowl and allow to cool. Once cool, add the cider, applejack and brandy to the bowl. Stir to mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 5 days. Serve in a small punch bowl with an ice mold, if desired, and garnish each glass with an apple slice.
• Place the hot water in a small stainless steel saucepan and add the sugar, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pan. Bring to a boil, place a lid over the saucepan and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the flavors have married, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a non-reactive bowl and allow to cool. Once cool, add the cider, applejack and brandy to the bowl. Stir to mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 5 days. Serve in a small punch bowl with an ice mold, if desired, and garnish each glass with an apple slice.

PORK ROAST WITH HARD CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear on all sides in the hot pan until golden brown; set aside. Add the onions and apples and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to caramelize, then pour in the hard cider and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and nestle the browned pork roast back into the pan. Cover with a lid and put in the oven to braise until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pork roast from the pot and transfer to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender and puree, then return the puree to the pan. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, then reduce the heat to low and add more cider if gravy is too thick. Add the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, whisking constantly as it melts. Remove from heat when the gravy is smooth and shiny and the butter is completely melted.
• Slice pork loin roast and arrange on a serving platter. Serve with sauce and enjoy!

MAPLE-GLAZED FRESH HAM WITH HARD CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• If brining the ham, combine salt and white sugar with 2 quarts water in a pot large enough to fit the ham comfortably. Stir well to dissolve. Add ham, cover, and place in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Remove, rinse well, and dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine raisins and rum and allow to sit while ham cooks, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place brown sugar, sage, mustard, lemon zest, garlic, salt and peppercorns in a blender or a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and process until smooth.
• Using a sharp knife, score entire surface of ham in a crosshatch pattern, cutting down just through skin to the flesh underneath. (If you are cutting to the right depth, the skin will spread apart a bit as you cut.) Rub outside of ham all over with spice mixture, pressing it gently into crosshatch spaces between the skin. Put roast on a rack in a large roasting pan and place in oven.
• After 20 minutes, reduce oven setting to 300 degrees. After 1 hour, begin painting ham every 15 minutes or so with maple syrup. Continue roasting until the very center of ham reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, 2 to 2 1/2 hours total cooking time. (Begin checking at 1 1/2 hours to be sure.) To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the absolute center of the roast, let it sit for 5 seconds, then take the reading.
• While ham is cooking, place cider in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high, and simmer vigorously until liquid is reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
• When ham is done, remove it from roasting pan, cover it loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Tip roasting pan to the side so you can spoon off all the fat from pan juices, then place pan on stove over medium-high heat. Add reduced cider, and bring to a simmer, scraping bottom of pan to free the browned bits. Skim any film off surface and season liquid as needed with salt and pepper. Add rum-soaked raisins, along with any remaining rum, and stir to combine. Pour into a gravy boat.
• Carve ham into thick slices, drizzle with raisin-cider sauce and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

ROASTED PORK CHOPS WITH HARD CIDER JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Pat pork chops dry and sprinkle both sides with sea salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chops in 3 batches, turning once, 6 minutes per batch, and transfer with tongs to a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep).
• Add shallots and remaining tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add cider and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 3 minutes.
• Spoon shallots and sauce around chops and roast in lower third of oven until thermometer inserted horizontally into center of 1 chop (do not touch bone) registers 150°F, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Let chops stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 155°F while standing). Serve chops with shallots and sauce.

HARD APPLE CIDER MARINATED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 bottle of the hard cider, salt, and Siracha sauce in a gallon sized sealable bag or marinating container. Mix well, and add pork chops.
• Marinate pork chops in cider mixture for one hour, turning halfway through (for extra flavor, prick holes in the pork chops with a fork). Marinate the pork chops in the refrigerator to ensure freshness.
• While the pork chops are marinating, slice the onion. Onion slices should be no thicker than 1/8 inch. Separate the onion slices so all layers are loose.
• Once pork chops are finished marinating, combine the remainder of the cider, Old Bay, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and black pepper in a large nonstick saucepan, and heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to boil/sizzle.
• Add garlic and onions, and saute until the onions start to soften.
• Add the pork chops, and saute until the chops are cooked through (about 10 minutes), turning once. After you turn the pork chops, sprinkle with the paprika to give the chops some color. Note: while sauteing the pork chops, make sure that you don't have any of the onions under them. Allowing the pork chops to rest on the bottom of the pan and cook in the cider mixture allows them to cook faster and to soak up more of the flavors of the saute.
• Once pork chops are completely cooked, remove from pan and place on dinner plates, sprinkling them with a pinch of salt (to taste). Garnish with the sauteed onions on top of the pork chops and serve.

PORK STEW WITH HARD CIDER, PEARL ONIONS, AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Cook onions in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes; transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Peel onions; set aside.
• Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until lightly browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle pork shoulder with coarse salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Working in 2 batches, add pork to same pot and cook until browned, about 7 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to large bowl. Reduce heat to medium; add shallots and parsnips. Cover pot and cook until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 teaspoons sage; stir 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup Calvados, if using; cook until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add broth, cider, reserved bacon, and pork with any accumulated juices. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Add potatoes and pearl onions to stew; cover and cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Add apples; cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon fat from surface of juices, if necessary. Stir butter and flour in small bowl to form paste; add to pot and whisk to blend. Stir in mustard, 2 teaspoons sage, and 1 tablespoon Calvados, if using. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Stew can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Simmer stew over medium heat to rewarm before serving.
• Divide stew among bowls, sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sage, and serve.
• Alcoholic apple cider; available in the liquor department of most supermarkets and at liquor stores.

PORK CHOPS WITH HARD CIDER PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the spice rub, in a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
• Slash the edges of the chops in 2 or 3 places to prevent curling.
• Sprinkle rub all over the chops and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Coat the bottom of a large, heavy frying pan with the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chops, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side.
• Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes longer, turning once or twice. Test the meat for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer away from the bone or by cutting into the meat close to the bone.
• Remove from heat just before the meat is done, when the internal temperature is 145 degrees F (63 C). Pork loin is done when the internal temperature is 150F/65C, but it will continue to cook while resting).
• Transfer to a platter and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, while you prepare the pan sauce.
• To make the pan sauce, add the cider to the same pan and deglaze by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
• Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and Tabasco.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes longer, whisking often.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Transfer the chops to individual plates. Spoon some of the sauce over the chops and serve. Pass additional sauce at the table.

BRAISED BOCKWURST AND WARM VEGETABLE-HARD CIDER 'KRAUT WITH GERMAN STYLE POTATOES

Steps:

• Halve larger potatoes and leave small potatoes as is, cover with water, bring to a boil, season with salt and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place sausages in a cast iron skillet, add 1/2-inch of water and a drizzle of oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let the sausages heat through as the water evaporates. Shake pan and let the casings crisp up until they burst, 3 to 4 minutes, and are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• While sausages and potatoes cook, cut cabbage half into half again and trim away the core with an angled cut. Shred the cabbage very thinly with your knife and reserve. Place the shredder blade in your food processor. Peel the carrots and trim the root end. Trim the celery, and peel and quarter the red onion lengthwise. Peel the apple and quarter lengthwise then cut away the core as you did the cabbage. Using the processor, shred the carrots, celery, onion and apple, through the feed tube, removing from bowl as necessary.
• In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Season the mixture with bay leaf, grill seasoning or coarse salt and pepper, and caraway seeds. Saute 7 to 8 minutes, tossing frequently.
• While cabbage cooks, put a medium skillet on the stove with a drizzle of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and render 2 to 3 minutes then stir in the yellow onion and cook for 5 minutes with the bacon to soften.
• Add hard cider to cabbage mixture and reduce for 30 seconds. Stir in the mustard and turn off the heat. Discard the bay leaf.
• When potatoes are cooked, drain and add to bacon and onion. Douse the pan with vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Pour stock evenly over pan, add the parsley and some pepper and turn off the heat. Stir the potatoes 1 minute to form a starchy sauce and combine flavors.
• Halve crispy sausages and serve on generous bed of cabbage, with the potatoes alongside.
• Serve with hard cider or white Belgian ale with orange wedge.

APPLE BREAD PUDDING WITH HARD CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 by 14-inch baking dish with the butter and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cream, cider, sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. Add the bread, fresh and dried apples, and stir to combine.
• Pour into the prepared dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the bread is well saturated, up to 1 hour.)
• Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is firm, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and let sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and drizzle with the Hard Cider Sauce. Serve immediately.
• Hard Cider Sauce:
• In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter over simmering water. Add the sugar and whisk to combine, whisking for 1 minute.
• Add the cider and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, whisking constantly.
• Return to the heat and continue whisking until the sauce is pale and slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the sauce over the pudding and serve immediately. (Note: The sauce will thicken and set up as it cools. If you desire a thicker consistency, serve the sauce slightly cooled.).

PEACH AND APRICOT HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Stir all ingredients together in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 2 to 3 hours. Remove cinnamon sticks and switch to WARM setting for serving.
• Serving Ideas: Serve in Irish coffee mugs with a cinnamon stick swizzle.

ASIAN/MARYLAND FUSION HARD CIDER SHRIMP

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 bottle of the cider and the rest of the ingredients (except the shrimp and the powdered hot pepper) in a gallon size sealable bag or marinating container, and mix well.
• Add shrimp to the marinade, and lay flat in refrigerator, marinating for about 15 minutes on each side.
• Pour the rest of the cider into a medium/large saucepan (one big enough to lay out all of the shrimp in a single layer) and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium, and add marinated shrimp, along with all of the marinade liquid. Spread shrimp out in a single layer. Sprinkle with half of the hot pepper, if you're using it.
• Saute shrimp for about 5-7 minutes per side, keeping it moving (but not allowing them to overlap - gently shaking the pan occasionally does the trick). The shrimp are done once they are pink throughout.

HARD CIDER PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Score fat layer on pork shoulder by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern. Spread garlic, parsley, sage rosemary, and thyme over pork. Place pork in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Pour cider over pork.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8 hours. Transfer pork to a large platter; remove and discard any large pieces of fat and skin. Pour pan drippings into a separate pot. Shred meat and return to the roasting pan.
• Whisk flour into water in a bowl.
• Bring drippings to a boil and stir in flour mixture; cook and stir until gravy is thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour gravy over pork.

HARD CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add turkey neck and giblets, if using, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and browned bits form on bottom of saucepan, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 20-25 minutes. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or medium bowl; discard solids. Cover and keep stock warm.
• Heat remaining 9 tablespoons butter in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is a deep golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm stock. Add cider and pan drippings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors meld and gravy is thickened, 25-30 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

CROCK POT APPLE CIDER AND HARD CIDER

Steps:

• 1. Wash apples to remove any dirt/chemicals etc. Cut apples into 4 parts (original recipe said that you can keep seeds in it and others say to remove, you can decide which you prefer). Put into crock pot. Add spices and cover apples with water, do not have to be completely submerged as apples will cook down. Mix everything around to blend ingredients. Cook for 8-10 hours on low for stronger flavor, stirring it occasionally. Or you can cook it on high for 4-5 hours stirring it every hour. Mash with potato masher. Strain out cider. Now this is where you have options. I have heard everything from straining it through a cotton pillowcase, straining it through a colander a couple times, or even a mesh strainer. One author said they liked the bits of apple in their cider another said they wanted it all removed. So strain to your preference. Bottle.
• 2. Now as for the spices in the ingredient list I have found cider recipes cooked with honey, oranges and lemons so you can add those too if you wish. I plan to add some citrus honey to mine. As for the Hard Cider you can add rum if you like, or you can put it in a demijohn with some beer yeast and let ferment for about a month for one batch and two weeks for another for a weaker alcohol content.

HARD CIDER-SAUCED CHICKEN SCALLOPINE

Steps:

• 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add as many chicken cutlets as will fit comfortably, working in batches to keep from crowding the pan or skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the first side is nicely browned; turn them over and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cutlets are cooked through. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the pan or skillet hot, but not smoking. Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter as you work. 2. When all of the cutlets are cooked, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan or skillet along with the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the celery and apple; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the celery is tender. 3. Whisk in the broth and 1 1/4 cups of the hard cider, the mustard and brown sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture comes to a boil, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until it has reduced by half. 4. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup of the cider in a cup to form a slurry; add that to the pan or skillet, whisking to incorporate and slightly thicken the sauce. 5. Return the chicken cutlets and any accumulated juices to the pan or skillet and reduce the heat to low; allow

PORK CHOPS WITH HARD CIDER PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• 1 To make the spice rub, in a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. 2 Slash the edges of the chops in 2 or 3 places to prevent curling. 3 Sprinkle rub all over the chops and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. 4 Coat the bottom of a large, heavy frying pan with the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chops, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side. 5 Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes longer, turning once or twice. Test the meat for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer away from the bone or by cutting into the meat close to the bone. 6 Remove from heat just before the meat is done, when the internal temperature is 145 degrees F (63 C). Pork loin is done when the internal temperature is 150F/65C, but it will continue to cook while resting). 7 Transfer to a platter and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, while you prepare the pan sauce. 8 To make the pan sauce, add the cider to the same pan and deglaze by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. 9 Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. 10 Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and Tabasco. 11 Cook for 2-3 minutes longer, whisking often. 12 Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 13 Transfer the chops to individual plates. Spoon some of the sauce over the chops and serve. Pass additional sauce at the table.