WINTER CLASSIC

Crispy Roasted Pork Belly with Sour Cider Roasted Apples.

Serves 8

1 x 2 kg piece boneless pork belly, skin scored at

1cm intervals

2 tbsp sea salt flakes

1 tbsp extra virgin oil

12 baby red apples (or 6 small red apples,

halved)

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup dry apple cider

2 fresh bay leaves

Place the pork belly on a baking tray lined with absorbent paper. Rub with half the salt and leave uncovered in the fridge for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight), in order to dry out the rind.

Brush off salt and pat dry. Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan forced). Rub the remaining salt into the pork skin, followed by the oil. Place a small wire rack in a roasting tray. Place the pork, rind side up on the tray and roast for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to 200°C (180°C fan forced) and roast for a further 30 minutes. Carefully remove the pork on the wire rack. Drain off any fat and pan juices into a small heatproof bowl.

Place the apples, sugar, vinegar and cider in a bowl and toss to combine. Add the apples and bay leaves to the pan and pour over the liquid. Return the pork to the pan, cook for a further 20 minutes or until the meat is tender and rind is golden and crunchy. Serve the pork with apples and pan juices.

To serve: for pulled pork, shred the meat with two forks, mix with any pan juices, add your choice of seasoning, place in a saucepan, cover with a lid and heat on low until heated through. Serve in tortillas or on burger buns with crispy crackling crumbled on top.

To make apple sauce, add the apples to a saucepan with strained reserved pan juices. Bring to a simmer and cook on low until the apples have broken down. Mash roughly with a fork. (If you want a smooth apple sauce, pass through a fine meshed sieve.)

If you wish to freeze, remove crackling from pork. Wrap in baking paper and place in an airtight container or resealable bag. Place pork belly in air tight container or resealable bag. Place apples in a small container. Freeze.

To thaw: remove the crackling from the container and place uncovered on a piece of absorbent paper. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Thaw the pork belly in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours (depending on the size of the piece). Thaw the apples in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

To reheat: preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Place the pork belly on a large baking tray, cover loosely with foil and reheat for 20 minutes, uncover, add the apples and heat for a further 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

For the crackling, increase oven temperature to 220°C (200°C fan forced). Place the crackling on a wire rack on a baking tray. Heat for 15 minutes or until crisp.

“I CAN’T RESIST A PORK PIE. THAT’S MY IDEA OF A LOVELY TREAT.” DELIA SMITH