Can't beat a Sunday Roast dinner, this Roasted Pork Belly in Cider will make the families 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!
500ml(2 cups) Apple cider We used a bottle of Bulmers
1tablespoonOlive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1Bramley AppleChopped into chunks
1-2 Cinnamon sticksor 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Gravy (optional)
2tablespoonflour
500ml(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.