Jersey Cider-Braised Pork Belly with Apple Mash

Tender pork belly braised in local Jersey cider, served with a creamy apple mash. A comforting and flavourful dish showcasing the best of Jersey produce.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Total Time

2 hours 50 minutes

Calories

1450 kcal

Difficulty

Medium

Equipment

3 items

Cost

£5.00/serving

Season:

🌸 Spring•☀️ Summer•🍂 Autumn

Meal Type:

Lunch•Dinner

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient:

Cooking Style:

Mood:

Ingredients

Servings

1.2kgPork Belly(Skin on, bone in or out (your preference))

£9.60

750mlLocal Jersey Cider(Dry or Medium-Dry works best)

£3.50

1Onion(Large, roughly chopped)

£0.50

2Carrots(Medium, roughly chopped)

£0.20

2Celery Stalks(Roughly chopped)

£0.40

4Garlic Cloves(Crushed)

£0.30

4Fresh Thyme Sprigs

£0.60

1Bay Leaf

£0.10

1tspSea Salt(Or to taste)

£0.05

1tspBlack Pepper(Freshly ground, or to taste)

£0.10

2tbspOlive Oil

£0.20

750gJersey Royal Potatoes(Peeled and roughly chopped)

£2.50

2Apples(Local Jersey apples (e.g., Jersey Belles or Browns), peeled, cored and chopped)

£0.70

50gJersey Butter(Unsalted)

£0.75

100mlJersey Milk(Full fat)

£0.20

2tbspFresh Parsley(Chopped, for garnish)

£0.30

Total Cost

£20.00

£5.00 per serving

Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).
2.
Score the pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3.
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork belly, skin-side down, until golden brown and crispy (about 5-7 minutes). Flip and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.
4.
Remove the pork belly from the pot and set aside.
5.
Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
6.
Add the crushed garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf to the pot and cook for another minute until fragrant.
7.
Pour in the Jersey cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
8.
Return the pork belly to the pot, skin-side up. The cider should come about halfway up the pork belly. If needed, add a little water or chicken stock to reach this level.
9.
Bring the cider to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven.
10.
Braise for 2-2.5 hours, or until the pork belly is very tender. Check the liquid level occasionally and add more if needed.
11.
While the pork belly is braising, prepare the apple mash. Boil the Jersey Royal potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
12.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
13.
In a separate saucepan, gently cook the chopped apples with a tablespoon of butter until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
14.
Add the cooked apples, Jersey butter, and Jersey milk to the potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
15.
Once the pork belly is cooked, remove it from the pot and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
16.
Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan. Skim off any excess fat.
17.
Simmer the braising liquid over medium heat until it reduces to a slightly thickened sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed.
18.
Slice the pork belly and serve with the creamy apple mash and the reduced cider sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (750g)

1450 kcal / 6067 kJ

Carbs

45g

17% of RDA

Fat

115g

164% of RDA

Protein

55g

110% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

7 g

23% of RDA

Sugar

20 g

22% of RDA

Sodium

750 mg

33% of RDA

Saturated Fat

45 g

225% of RDA

Chef's Tips

For extra crispy skin, you can broil the pork belly skin-side up for the last few minutes of cooking, but watch it carefully to prevent burning.

If you don't have an oven-safe pot, you can transfer the pork belly and braising liquid to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil.

The braising liquid can be made a day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Cooking Equipment

Oven

Large Oven-Safe Pot or Dutch Oven

Potato Masher

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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Chef's Tips

For extra crispy skin, you can broil the pork belly skin-side up for the last few minutes of cooking, but watch it carefully to prevent burning.

If you don't have an oven-safe pot, you can transfer the pork belly and braising liquid to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil.

The braising liquid can be made a day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Jersey Cider-Braised Pork Belly with Apple Mash

Ingredients

Instructions