Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top and sides of the pork butt, patting it lightly so it sticks.
Slowly pour the apple cider over the pork butt, letting it run down into the bottom of the slow cooker. The liquid should come at least 1/3 of the way up the sides of the meat.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
Once cooked, carefully transfer the pork to a large bowl or cutting board. Skim excess fat from the top of the cooking liquid if you like.
Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-size pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat or bone.
Ladle some of the warm cider cooking liquid over the shredded pork (start with about 1 cup), tossing gently until the meat is juicy and well coated. Add more liquid as needed to reach your preferred sauciness.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired (the onion soup mix is salty, so you may not need extra salt). Keep warm in the slow cooker on the “keep warm” setting until ready to serve.
For picky eaters, you can keep the flavors extra mild by using a low-sodium onion soup mix and adding just enough cider to keep things moist; serve the pork plain on buns and let everyone add barbecue sauce or mustard at the table. If you like a bit of sweetness, stir 1–2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the cider before pouring it over the pork. For a tangier twist, mix a splash of apple cider vinegar into the cooking liquid after it’s done (start with 1 tablespoon and taste as you go). To make it feel more like a full one-pot meal, tuck a few peeled, chunked potatoes and carrots around the pork before pouring on the cider; they’ll soak up the flavor and get wonderfully tender. Leftovers freeze nicely—cool the shredded pork in its juices, then pack into freezer bags for easy future dinners. You can also repurpose the meat in tacos, quesadillas, or over baked sweet potatoes for a fresh take later in the week.
