You can't beat a Sunday Roast dinner. This Roasted Pork Belly in Cider will make your family's day! Very pleasing to the eye and surprisingly easy to make!
Large Pork Belly Joint stuffed and rolled with fennel, thyme, lemon zest, garlic and black pepper.
Cooked for just over 2 hours with cider and apple added for extra sweetness. Bonus is you can make a delicious gravy with the leftover apple, cider and pork juices!
Pork belly is one of the cheapest cuts of pork, and many are not keen on it because of its fat content.
But when cooked correctly the fat is tender and soft to eat and I personally think it is the best part!
How to make Roasted Pork Belly?
Click to jump straight to the recipe or watch the slideshow below.
We have also given tips on the blog page should you want to have a read-through.
How to prepare pork belly for roasting?
There are three layers to Pork belly: a thin layer of skin, thick silky fat, and finally juicy pink meat.
You can cook with the skin on if you want thick crackling on top. However, for this recipe, we wanted a sticky cider and apple glaze effect so we removed the skin.
If you want a great pork crackling roast dinner, check our our pork loin with crackling recipe.
How to remove skin from pork belly joint?
When removing the skin, leave as much of the fat layer behind as possible! This fat layer will later be coated in scrumptious cider and apple!
How to flavour pork belly?
Once the skin is removed turn it over to the meat side. Spread a layer of Garlic Puree (or crushed garlic) followed by black pepper.
Next, add fennel seeds, thyme leaves and lemon zest.
What to tie pork belly up with and how?
Roll up lengthways and use cooking string or 100% cotton twine to tie the pork roll together (I have heard you can use dental floss if you have no string?!).
We used six strands of cooking twine to tie it up neatly.
Place the rolled-up pork belly joint into an oven dish with olive oil and rub the oil all over the fat layer. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper
How to roast a rolled pork belly joint with cider?
Cook at 190°C/ 375F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, turn the temperature down to 160°C/325F.
Add chunks of cooking apple around the pork, then pour a bottle of your favourite cider all over the pork belly joint. We used Bulmers cider.
Add a couple of cinnamon sticks and pop back into the oven for 1 hr 45 minutes. Check at the last 20 minutes and cover with foil if browning too much?
When finished cooking, re-baste the juices and apple chunks over the top of the rolled pork.
Remove from the dish and wrap it in foil to rest whilst you make the gravy.
How to make Apple Cider Gravy?
As mentioned earlier, you get a bonus gravy when cooking this!
Mash down the apple chunks and heat in a pan, add 2 tablespoon of flour, gradually whilst stirring, and finally add some chicken stock until it reaches the desired gravy consistency!
What to serve with Roasted Pork Belly?
We served our Roasted Pork Belly in Cider cut into slices, with our Roast Potatoes, glazed vegetables, green beans, yorkshire puddings and stuffing.
The apple cider gravy is amazing. No need for apple sauce with this gravy the sweetness is already there! Unless you want extra sweetness!?
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Roasted Pork Belly in Cider
Ingredients
- 1.1 grams (2lb 7oz) Pork Belly - deboned
- 1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 Lemon - Zest only
- 4 Springs Thyme - Leaves only
- 1 tablespoon Gia Garlic Puree - 6 Cloves of Garlic crushed
- 500 ml (2 cups) Apple cider - We used a bottle of Bulmers
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Bramley Apple - Chopped into chunks
- 1-2 Cinnamon sticks - or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Gravy (optional)
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) Chicken stock
Instructions
- Remove the thin layer of skin off the pork belly joint using a sharp knife. Leaving behind as much of the fat layer as you can.
- Once the skin is removed turn over so the meat side is facing up.Spread garlic puree over pork belly meat, followed by black pepper.Next, sprinkle fennel seeds, thyme leaves and lemon zest.
- Roll pork belly joint up lengthways, use 6 strands of cooking string to tie it up in 2-3 inch intervals
- Place pork in an oven dish, add olive oil and rub all over the pork. Season with salt & pepper.Cook uncovered at 190°C/375F for 30 minutes
- Remove from oven, reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/325FAdd chunks of apple around pork, then pour cider all over the pork belly joint. Add a couple of cinnamon sticks in and return to the oven uncovered for 1hr 25min
- Check the pork at 1hr, if it is browning to much add foil over it for the final 25 minutes.
- When finished remove from oven, use a ladle to pour the juices over the top of the cooked pork.Remove the Pork Belly Roll from the cooking juices and cover in foil, leave to rest for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the gravy.
Apple Cider Gravy- Use the cider, apple and pork cooking juices to create your gravy. We used all the juices for a rich sweet gravy, use ½ if you don't want it so sweet?
- Mash the apple into the juices, pour into a pan. Mix flour with warm water to create a paste (to prevent lumps) then add to the sauce.
- Now add Chicken stock, start with 350ml (1 ½ cups) and stir whilst bringing to boil. Check consistency and add more stock until at your desired gravy texture.
- You are ready to carve the pork and serve up with your usual roast dinner sides, Roast Potatoes, Vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing and of course, your Apple Cider Gravy.
Video
Nutrition
The soft tender pork belly slices are amazing, and the sticky cider glazed topping is delicious!
Enjoy and let us know in the comments how much you loved it!
More Roast Dinner Recipes
Looking for more roast dinner recipes? Check out our Roast Lamb Shoulder, slow-roasted until the lamb falls off the bone!
David Elliott says
I really wish my daughter loved pork. I would definitely cook it more often. I will have to try this though. It looks absolutely amazing.
Kay says
My daughter is a little fussy too, but she does eat pork luckily! Maybe you can try when you have friends and family over one day?
harry potter billeder says
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yours nowadays. I honestly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Kay says
Thank you!
Marie Phillips says
I have never done this with pork belly before but I have done it with a regular pork roast. I will need to try this out with pork belly--I just need to get brave enough to try to cook with something new!
Kay says
Go on Marie, you won't be disappointed and you will probably save some money compared to some other pork joints!
Explorethe6 explorethe6 says
OMG this sounds amazing!!!! I've never had it but would love to try this recipe 🙂
Kay says
Please do give it a go, its lovely!
Chantal Gray says
I really enjoyed your recipe. The looks so juicy and well-prepared. I will definitely try to make it for special meal at home.
Kay says
Hope you and the family enjoy it!
Cristina Ioana says
We always have toast on Sundays but never tried pork belly before. I have no issue with fat so I'll give it a go for sure. It looks amazing!
Kay says
Do enjoy! We love it, my Father in Law is not a fan of the fat, but he still eats the less fatty part and leaves the rest of us fighting over his leftover fatty bits lol!
Tara Pittman says
The cider will give this roast amazing flavor. I will have to try this recipe
Kay says
Let us know how you get on Tara 🙂
Infinity Laser Spa says
OMG this looks so delicious! Cooking the pork in cider is such a great idea, it must add an incredible flavor!
Kay says
Oh, it certainly does, and keeps it nice and moist at the same time!
Nyxie says
This sounds amazing. I can't begin to imagine the flavours going on here!
Kay says
Thanks Nyxie, so full of flavour!
GiGi Eats says
This sounds like the ultimate cold weather comfort food!! 🙂
Kay says
Most definitely!! Time for some nicer weather, I can't keep making these comfort foods lol!
Amber Myers says
Oh yum, I am excited to try this! I just love pork belly. It's been ages since I've had it.
Kay says
Thanks Amber you must try it, it is delicious!
Crickette, The Things I Have to Say says
Roasted pork belly is big in the Philippines, but I have yet to try making this. Will try this recipe soon.
Kay says
Would love to visit the Philippines, it is high on our next list!!
pizzabotten med mandelmjol says
As the admin of this website is working, no doubt very quickly it will be well-known, due to its quality contents.
Kay says
Thank you for your compliments! Nice to know our hard work is being recognised!
Srishti Singh says
Wellington am a vegetarian.but looks good 😇
Kay says
We have many vegetarian recipes too 🙂
Leanne Wong says
Oh wow this roasted pork belly in apples and cider looks incredible! Appreciate the lovely food photography and detailed instructions!
Kay says
Thanks Leanne, I'm glad it is appreciated! x
AffiliateLabz says
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂
Kay says
Thanks