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Pork belly with spring onion apple sauce recipe

4 ratings

Roast pork with apple sauce is a Sunday roast favourite, but have you tried it with roast pork belly? Our pork belly recipe includes a warm and fragrant herb rub that produces delicious crackling, while the peppery spring onion and thyme-infused apple sauce is the perfect balance to the rich meat. This makes an epic Easter lunch main or a lovely roast for Sundays. See method

Serves 6
Takes 3 hrs 15 mins plus drying
530 calories / serving
Freezable

Ingredients

1kg pork belly joint
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp flaky sea salt
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 large carrot, scrubbed and thickly sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
4 garlic cloves
500ml dry cider
25g butter
4 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces
3g fresh thyme, leaves picked
400g Bramley cooking apples, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp plain flour

If you don't have any spring onions, try using white onions or leeks and adjust the amount accordingly

Each serving contains

Energy
2205kj
530kcal 27%
Fat
32g 46%
Saturates
13g 65%
Sugars
16g 18%
Salt
2.3g 38%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 20.7g Protein 30.9g Fibre 5.8g

Method

Pat the pork dry with kitchen paper, then put on a plate and leave to dry, uncovered, in the fridge, for up to 3 hrs before cooking.
Preheat the oven to gas 9, 240°C, fan 220°C. If the pork skin hasn’t been scored, slice a diamond pattern into the skin at 1cm intervals. Put in a snug-fi tting baking tray.
Put the fennel and coriander seeds, peppercorns and salt in a pestle and mortar and bash until fi nely ground. Rub the spice mix all over the pork skin, making sure to get it in all the cuts; dust off any excess and rub this over the rest of the pork. Leave at room temperature for 20 mins, then pat the skin dry with kitchen paper.
Roast on the top shelf for 35-45 mins for the skin to crackle. Place the onion, carrot, celery and garlic around the pork, then pour over 250ml cider, being careful not to touch the pork with it. Reduce the oven to gas 2, 150°C, fan 130°C; roast for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs until the meat is juicy and tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a lidded saucepan and cook the spring onions for 2 mins to soften. Add the thyme and fry for 1 min, then add the apples, sugar and 2 tbsp water; cover and cook for 8 mins until softened. Remove from the heat and mash with a spoon, then set aside.
Transfer the pork to a board and cover tightly with foil to rest while you make the gravy. Put the tray of veg over a medium heat on the hob (see tip). Scrape the sides and bottom, then stir through the fl our, mixing through the roasting juices and mashing as you stir; cook for 2 mins. Pour in the remaining cider and simmer for 2-3 mins until reduced a little. Stir in 500ml boiling water, then simmer for 5-8 mins until thickened. Season, then strain through a sieve into a jug. Slice the pork and serve with the apple sauce and gravy.

Tip: If your baking tray isn’t suitable for use on the hob, scrape the veg and juices into a saucepan to make the gravy.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze cooked pork only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Pork belly recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.