I know as a cook I should love eating fat, but I really don’t – which is why this works so well for me. Braising pork belly gently in cider for three hours, then pressing it overnight, turns the fat soft and absolutely delicious, and gives you neat, flat pieces that crisp up beautifully in the pan. The braising liquid reduces down into a glorious cider sauce. I serve it simply with mashed potato and a little cabbage, and keep some back for another dish another day.
Pork belly slowly braised in dry cider and stock, pressed overnight, then pan-fried until crisp and served with the reduced cider sauce.
What equipment do you recommend?Check my 'Kitchen Essentials' list on Amazon!
Ingredients
- 700 g pork belly seasoned well in advance
- 1 l dry cider
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- thyme a few sprigs
- 1 carrot roughly chopped, unpeeled
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic smashed but kept whole
- black peppercorns a few
- 1 star anise
- vegetable oil a little, for frying
- salt to taste
- mashed potato to serve
- cabbage to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C. Choose a roasting tin that fits the pork belly snugly.
- Pour in the cider and stock and add the bay, thyme, carrot, onion, garlic, peppercorns and star anise. Bring to a simmer on the hob.
- If you haven't seasoned the pork in advance, season it now. Slide it into the cider so it's completely submerged and bring back to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid or loosely with foil and cook in the oven, undisturbed, for 3 hours.
- Leave to cool a little, then carefully lift the pork onto a tray lined with baking paper. Cover with another sheet of paper and a second tin, weigh it down and leave to cool, then chill overnight (at least 12–15 hours).
- Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and reduce it right down to a sauce. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Trim the pressed pork into neat pieces, cutting off any curved edges of skin so it all browns evenly. Wrap any you're not cooking today for another dish.
- Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook the pork skin-side down until the skin is crisp, then turn and cook until heated right through.
- Serve on mashed potato with a little cabbage, and the cider sauce on the side.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Comments (0)