Roast Pork Belly with Apple

Prep: 35 mins, plus cooling
Cook: 2 hours 10 mins, plus resting

 

 

• small bunch fresh thyme

• 1 bulb of fennel bulb, sliced

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1.5 kg/3 1b 5 oz pork belly

• 575 ml/ 18 fl oz dry cider

• 300 ml/ 10 fl oz chicken stock

• 150 ml/5 fl oz cider vinegar

• 55 g/2 oz honey

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

Apple & Mustard Ketchup

• juice of 2 lemons

• 55 g/2 oz sugar

• 3 cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

• 2 tbsp American-style yellow mustard

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 1900C/3750F/Gas Mark 5.

2. Place the thyme, fennel and onion in a deep baking tray slightly bigger than the pork. Place the pork belly on top.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the cider, stock, vinegar and honey.

4. Pour the cider mixture over the pork and then sprinkle over salt and pepper.

5. Place the baking tray in the oven. Cook for two hours, or until the pork meat is soft to the touch and crackling has formed. Check that the centre of the Pork meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

6. Meanwhile, place all of the ketchup ingredients in a medium microwave-proof bowl. Cover with microwavable clingfilm and cook on high for 4 minutes, or until the apples start to fall apart. Blend the ketchup with a hand blender until smooth and leave to cool down.

7. Remove the pork from the oven and leave in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes. Strain the liquids from the baking tray into a medium saucepan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

8. Serve the pork with the cooking juices poured over the top and the ketchup on the side