The best thing about this recipe is that it is totally stress-free. You can have the meat ready a day or two before and all you have to do is fry the pork and reheat the sauce, prepare some vegetables and voilà! dinner is ready! The advantage of frying the pork just before serving is that you end up with lovely crispy skin and tender meat every time.
Crisp cider-braised pork belly
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
few celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
500ml cider
small splash cider vinegar
1 litre chicken stock
750g unscored, boneless pork belly
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Day 1:
Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan. Place all the ingredients except the pork and sunflower oil in a flameproof pan that will fit the pork snugly – a casserole dish is ideal. Season, bring everything to the boil then turn down the heat and slide the pork into the pan. The pork should be totally submerged – if it isn't top up with water. Cover the dish with a lid and place it in the oven for 3 hours undisturbed.
When the pork is cooked, leave it to cool slightly in the stock. Line a flat baking tray with cling film. Carefully lift the pork into the tray and make sure you get rid of any bits of vegetables or herbs as they will end up pressed into the pork. Cover the pork with another sheet of cling film and cover with a flat tray or dish – the tray must be completely flat as any indentations will be pressed into the pork. Weigh the pork down with another dish or some cans and leave to cool in the fridge overnight. Strain the juices into a jug or small saucepan, cover and chill.
Day 2:
Unwrap the pork and place on a board. Trim the uneven edges so that you have a neat sheet of meat. Cut the meat into 4 equal pieces and set aside until ready to cook. Lift off any bits of fat from the braising juices and tip what will now be jelly into a saucepan, then bubble down by about two-thirds until starting to become slightly syrupy. Add a few more drops of vinegar to taste.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, then turn the heat down. Add the pork to the pan, skin-side down – be careful as it has a tendency to spit. Sizzle the pork as you would bacon for 5 mins until the skin is crisp. Flip it over and cook for 3-4 mins until browned.
I like it served with mashed potatoes, Savoy cabbage, caramelized apples and drizzle of the cider sauce.
