pork belly & cider stew

This recipe was inspired by the wonderful Gill Meller and is a go-to winter dish for me, perfect for those cold, rainy days when you want something rich and warming in your belly. It’s a delightful mix of all that is good about British produce, from the pork belly, to the leeks, to the cider used to make the broth. It’s creamy, it’s fatty, it’s delicate, it’s a little bit naughty, and it’s even better the next day.

You don’t need all that long to make this stew, it isn’t one of those ones that you’ll be cooking all day, but you do need a little patience to make sure the pork belly is soft the whole way through.

Get some good sourdough to go on the side, you really can’t go wrong.

 
pork belly & cider stew recipe

for the stew

2 large white onions

3 garlic cloves

2 large leeks

1kg pork belly

250g streaky bacon

250g mushrooms

50g butter

1 litre vegetable stock

330ml dry cider

275ml double cream

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp mixed dried herbs

a handful of fresh parsley

method

  1. Start by opening a can of cider for yourself. If your stew is going to drink a whole can, surely you are allowed to as well.

  2. Next, dice your onions and sweat them in a little oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

  3. Crush and chop your garlic, and cut the leeks into half moons. You can do this by slicing right down the length of the leek and then slicing width ways to form semi circles. You’ll want to remove the darkest section of the leek, as well as the whitest section at the bottom, however, these can be kept to make a stock at another time.

  4. Add the leek and garlic to the onions and cook until almost soft.

  5. Add the butter and the herbs and give them a minute to immerse themselves in what you’re doing.

  6. Next, chop the streaky bacon into small pieces and dice up the pork belly into 1-inch cubes.

  7. Add these both to the veg and cook until they are seared.

  8. Add the vegetable stock and cider and simmer on a low heat for around 2 hours, until the pork belly is soft the whole way through. The fat should have turned gelatinous, and the meat should be super tender to the touch.

  9. Preheat your oven to 120c.

  10. Mix the corn flour with a few tablespoons of water until there are no chunks and add this to the stew alongside the cream, stirring as you go.

  11. Bake the stew at 120c for 30 minutes, until the top starts to brown slightly.

  12. Remove and top with fresh parsley.

  13. Serve with a big hunk of butter covered bread.