Cooking with Cider

By Food & Wine
Updated September 28, 2016
There's so much more to cider than sipping: in this collection of recipes, from barbecued baby back ribs to poached pears, the sweet apple drink lends flavor and complexity.
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Warm Apple Cider Cake with Pumpkin Seed Brittle

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A late-harvest Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley in France will highlight the tart cider.

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Apple-Glazed Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

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These sticky, apple-scented ribs are cooked in the oven, then finished on the grill. They're a simpler version of a recipe by champion pit master Chris Lilly, author of the Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book, who cooks his ribs entirely on the grill. To follow Lilly's example, use a thermometer to keep the temperature at a steady 250 and wrap the ribs in foil after adding the apple cider mixture.

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Hot Mulled Cider

Keller & Keller
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Ken Oringer preheats the Thermos he uses to transport his deliciously spiced cider by filling it with boiling water and letting it sit for a few minutes. Pouring the mulled cider into a Thermos that's already warm helps keep the drink hot.

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Citrus-Marinated Turkey

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Jose Garces prepares this turkey in the same style as a traditional Yucatán dish called cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork marinated in citrus and annatto paste (made from achiote seeds, the condiment adds an orange hue to foods). Brining and marinating the bird make it especially succulent.

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Vanilla-and-Cider Panna Cottas with Spiced Ginger Cookies

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Shawn McClain tops his cinnamon-and-vanilla-flavored panna cotta with an elegant apple-cider gelée. He equates the dessert to a Creamsicle because it successfully combines creamy and tangy flavors.

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Moscato-Roasted Pears and Cider-Poached Apples

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For dessert pairings, go with a lighter wine.

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Striped Bass with Sweet Carrots and Cider Glaze

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Chef Bruce Sherman will only cook with sustainable fish. While in the Galápagos, he used wahoo in this recipe; in Chicago he opts for striped bass or halibut. To prepare the carrots, he cooks them without stirring until they blister, then glazes them in cider and cider vinegar.

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Turkey with Apple-Chestnut Stuffing and Cider Gravy

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Brining turkey by soaking it in salt water virtually guarantees a juicy bird.

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Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Apple Cider Sauce

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"Nothing even comes close to the amount of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes," says Mike Cannon, a professor of horticulture at Louisiana State University. Not even carrots have as much beta-carotene, an antioxidant that may help prevent strokes and certain kinds of cancer.

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Apple Cider Pulled Pork

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It's no secret that apples and pork go great together.

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Apple Cider Cream Pie

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In 2009, Allison Kave and her boyfriend, Jay Horton, were winners in Brooklyn, New York's Pie Bake-Off with this clever pie. The challenge was to use a local ingredient, so they chose apple cider and developed this delicious combination of cream pie and apple pie. Winning the contest was the impetus for Kave to open First Prize Pies in Brooklyn.

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Soft Apple-Cider Caramels

PHOTO © JOHN KERNICK
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These chewy treats are like caramel apples in candy form, combining the tangy-sweet flavor of cider with buttery caramel. To create your own spin on them, use a flavored apple cider or add different spices, like ground ginger or black pepper.

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Cider-Braised Collards with Ham

Fredrika Stjärne
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These cider-braised collards are the perfect side dish to any meal.

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Apple Cider-Braised Turkey Drumsticks

Alexandra Rowley
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Braising drumsticks is as simple as roasting a whole bird and the gravy is equally delicious, but there's no worry of over-cooking, plus you can prepare the dish ahead and serve it whenever you are ready.

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Cider-Glazed Turkey with Lager Gravy

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Lots of people brine their turkeys. Not Michael Symon, who thinks brining makes the bird a little rubbery. In this turkey recipe, he salts his bird well and refrigerates it overnight to season it. Before roasting, he covers the breast and legs with cheesecloth that's been soaked in a cider-infused butter. For his beer-spiked gravy, Symon recommends the German-style Dortmunder Gold, made by Great Lakes Brewing Company, from his home state of Ohio.

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Cider-Brined Pork Tenderloins with Roasted Apples

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It's worth taking the time to brine High Acheson's tender pork dish overnight, since the brine imparts tangy, sweet flavor to the meat.

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Pork-and-Cider Stew

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This hearty stew from chef Fernanda Milanezi is super-simple to make for a crowd. It's finished with heavy cream, which amplifies the wonderful apple flavor.

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Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs with Apple

Scott Hocker
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Choose unspiced apple cider for this weeknight braise. The resinous essence of fresh rosemary accentuates the classic sweetness of apple.

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

© John Kernick
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These crisp and tender doughnuts are year-round favorites at Curiosity Doughnuts in the Stockton, New Jersey, farmers' market.

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Cider-Maple Pork Chops with Woodland Bitters Compote

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This recipe is also delicious using Angostura in place of the homemade Woodland Bitters.

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