Harvest braised pork with apples and cider
This is a hearty autumn dish and a perfect way to celebrate Apples days at Orchard Park!
Ingredients
4 thick belly pork strips or spare rib chops from Lagan Farm Shop
1 tbsp olive oil
6 rashers unsmoked streaky bacon with the rind
6 juniper berries, crushed with the back of a spoon
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and sliced
2 medium onions, chopped small
5fl oz dry cider
11/2 lb potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
A little butter
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
- Trim away any excess fat on the pork strips. Heat some oil in a frying pan and brown the pork on both sides, then transfer into a wide, shallow casserole
- Next, using the same pan fry the bacon rashers a little until the fat starts to run, then using a draining spoon, place the bacon on top of the pork and season.
- Sprinkle over the juniper berries and garlic, then spread the apples and onions on top. Add the cider and cover with a layer of overlapping potatoes. Top with a few dabs of butter and cover the dish first with greaseproof paper and then a close fitting lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hrs (gas mark 1, 275f, 140c)
- Towards the end of the cooking time, preheat the grill to its highest setting. When the oven time is completed, place the dish under the grill so the potatoes become brown and crispy.
- Serve with braised red cabbage – delicious!