Your privacy settings

We and our 18 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by selecting accept or reject all, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signalled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Your choices will change how we tailor your shopping experience on our website.

To modify your consent choices, you can do so by clicking on Cookie settings in the footer.

We and our partners process data to

Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.

Sign inRegister

Pork belly with spring onion apple sauce recipe

Pork belly with spring onion apple sauce

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

Roast pork with apple sauce is a Sunday roast favourite, but have you tried it with roast pork belly? Our pork belly recipe includes a warm and fragrant herb rub that produces delicious crackling, while the peppery spring onion and thyme-infused apple sauce is the perfect balance to the rich meat. This makes an epic Easter lunch main or a lovely roast for Sundays.

See method
  • Serves 6
  • Takes 3 hrs 15 mins plus drying
  • 530 calories / serving
  • Freezable

Ingredients

  • 1kg pork belly joint
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp flaky sea salt
  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 large carrot, scrubbed and thickly sliced
  • 1 celery stick, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 500ml dry cider
  • 25g butter
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces
  • 3g fresh thyme, leaves picked
  • 400g Bramley cooking apples, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour

Ready to shop?

Shop ingredients

Each serving contains

Energy
2205kJ 530.0kcal
27%
Fat
32g
high46%
Saturates
13g
high65%
Salt
2.3g
high38%
Sugars
16g
low18%

of the Reference intake

Carbohydrate 20.7gProtein 30.9gFibre 5.8g

Method

  1. Pat the pork dry with kitchen paper, then put on a plate and leave to dry, uncovered, in the fridge, for up to 3 hrs before cooking.
  2. Preheat the oven to gas 9, 240°C, fan 220°C. If the pork skin hasn’t been scored, slice a diamond pattern into the skin at 1cm intervals. Put in a snug-fi tting baking tray.
  3. Put the fennel and coriander seeds, peppercorns and salt in a pestle and mortar and bash until fi nely ground. Rub the spice mix all over the pork skin, making sure to get it in all the cuts; dust off any excess and rub this over the rest of the pork. Leave at room temperature for 20 mins, then pat the skin dry with kitchen paper.
  4. Roast on the top shelf for 35-45 mins for the skin to crackle. Place the onion, carrot, celery and garlic around the pork, then pour over 250ml cider, being careful not to touch the pork with it. Reduce the oven to gas 2, 150°C, fan 130°C; roast for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs until the meat is juicy and tender.
  5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a lidded saucepan and cook the spring onions for 2 mins to soften. Add the thyme and fry for 1 min, then add the apples, sugar and 2 tbsp water; cover and cook for 8 mins until softened. Remove from the heat and mash with a spoon, then set aside.
  6. Transfer the pork to a board and cover tightly with foil to rest while you make the gravy. Put the tray of veg over a medium heat on the hob (see tip). Scrape the sides and bottom, then stir through the fl our, mixing through the roasting juices and mashing as you stir; cook for 2 mins. Pour in the remaining cider and simmer for 2-3 mins until reduced a little. Stir in 500ml boiling water, then simmer for 5-8 mins until thickened. Season, then strain through a sieve into a jug. Slice the pork and serve with the apple sauce and gravy.
  • Tip: If your baking tray isn’t suitable for use on the hob, scrape the veg and juices into a saucepan to make the gravy.

  • Freezing and defrosting guidelines

    Freeze cooked pork only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

You may also like

Slow-roast pork belly with sticky red onions and plum sauce
Image of "Slow-roast pork belly with sticky red onions and plum sauce"
Roast pork belly with sloe gin plums
Image of "Roast pork belly with sloe gin plums"
Roast pork belly with citrus and star anise
Image of "Roast pork belly with citrus and star anise"
Jerk roast pork with spiced apple sauce
Image of "Jerk roast pork with spiced apple sauce"