Dry-Roast Pork Belly with Roasted Apples

This dish pairs meltingly tender pork belly with the sweet-sour balance of roasted apples. The slow roasting creates soft, juicy meat with a perfectly crisp crackling, while the caramelised apples cut through the richness beautifully.

INGREDIENTS

     +    
For the Pork Belly

1 pork belly (whole or in large pieces), skin scored with slashes

4 garlic cloves, bashed

Few sprigs of rosemary

Few sprigs of thyme

½ tsp crushed black pepper

4 tbsp coarse sea salt or Maldon

Olive oil (for rubbing)

     +    
For the Roasted Apples

6 Granny Smith or Braeburn apples, halved horizontally (through the equator)

80g demerara sugar

2g Maldon salt

Few sprigs of thyme

Pinch of crushed black pepper

50g diced butter

30ml white wine vinegar

Method

     +    
Pork Belly

Mix garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and coarse salt. Rub all over the pork belly and leave to marinate for 12–24 hours.

Remove the salt mixture and wipe the belly with kitchen paper.

Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with extra coarse sea salt.

Place on a wire rack over a tray and slow roast at 140°C for 3.5 hours, until tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 220°C for the final 10 minutes to crisp up the crackling.

Rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing into strips.

     +    
Roasted Apples

Halve the apples and leave them to air-dry for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat a pan, sprinkle in the sugar, and allow to melt and caramelise.

Add the apples, cut-side down, and season with salt, thyme, and pepper.

Caramelise for 5 minutes without turning, then cover with a lid.

Add the butter, transfer the pan to the oven, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the lid after 10 minutes and baste with the cooking juices.

     +    
To Finish

Deglaze the apples with the white wine vinegar.

Arrange slices of pork belly on a serving plate.

Spoon roasted apples and their cooking liquor over the pork.

Dry-Roast Pork Belly with Roasted Apples

This dish pairs meltingly tender pork belly with the sweet-sour balance of roasted apples. The slow roasting creates soft, juicy meat with a perfectly crisp crackling, while the caramelised apples cut through the richness beautifully.

INGREDIENTS

   +  &nbsp
For the Pork Belly

1 pork belly (whole or in large pieces), skin scored with slashes

4 garlic cloves, bashed

Few sprigs of rosemary

Few sprigs of thyme

½ tsp crushed black pepper

4 tbsp coarse sea salt or Maldon

Olive oil (for rubbing)

   +   
For the Roasted Apples

6 Granny Smith or Braeburn apples, halved horizontally (through the equator)

80g demerara sugar

2g Maldon salt

Few sprigs of thyme

Pinch of crushed black pepper

50g diced butter

30ml white wine vinegar

Method

   +   
Pork Belly

Mix garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and coarse salt. Rub all over the pork belly and leave to marinate for 12–24 hours.

Remove the salt mixture and wipe the belly with kitchen paper.

Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with extra coarse sea salt.

Place on a wire rack over a tray and slow roast at 140°C for 3.5 hours, until tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 220°C for the final 10 minutes to crisp up the crackling.

Rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing into strips.

   +   
Roasted Apples

Halve the apples and leave them to air-dry for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat a pan, sprinkle in the sugar, and allow to melt and caramelise.

Add the apples, cut-side down, and season with salt, thyme, and pepper.

Caramelise for 5 minutes without turning, then cover with a lid.

Add the butter, transfer the pan to the oven, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the lid after 10 minutes and baste with the cooking juices.

   +   
To Finish

Deglaze the apples with the white wine vinegar.

Arrange slices of pork belly on a serving plate.

Spoon roasted apples and their cooking liquor over the pork.

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